The Nigeria Association of the Blind, Edo State chapter, on Thursday, tasked the state government to grant bursary and free education to the blind pupils/students in the various institutions of learning in the state to ease their burdens.
Chairman of the association, Nosa Osemwota made the appeal while marking their day in Benin.
Mr. Osemwota said the reason the government should invest in education is because it is the best thing that can ever happen to any human being irrespective of his physical stature.
“We appeal to his Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki to make the education for the blind absolutely free, including books, tuition, and boarding fees, as it is obtainable in some neighbouring states.
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“We beseech the state government to give us a building to be used as the secretariat of the Association from where our official work can be carried out.
“The state government should also help us setup a rehabilitation centre for the blind where the blind could learn handicrafts, animal production, playing of musical instruments.
“We appeal to the state government to make the school for the blind at Ivbiore, Benin City, a boarding school to enable blind pupils from other local government areas in Edo State to have a good basic education.
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“We beseech his Excellency, the state governor, to use his good office to establish the school for the blind in the three Senatorial Districts of Edo State so that blind children in these areas can have access to primary education.
“Provisions should also be made to accommodate blind students at Ihogbe College, Benin City”, he pleaded.
He thanked the governor for granting bursary award to students of Edo State origin across the 36 states of the federation in 2019, noting that ever since, some of the benefitting students have graduated while many more have gained admission into institutions of higher learning.
He urged him to also use his office to approve the continuation of the bursary award in every academic year to assist them to pass through their tertiary institutions without much financial stress.
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He tasked the blind to always take the bull by the horn and make the best of a bad situation adding that this they could accomplish by been resolute and determined to succeed through hard work.
