By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Mohamed Yayah Kanneh, a journalist, teacher, creative writer, and disability activist, who can be contacted via kannehdpoet@gmail.com or +23276446119 in an open letter addressed to President Julius Maada Bio, stated that, on behalf of all persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone, he is writing to appeal to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and some of his appointees to critically assess the reviewed Disability Act of Sierra Leone and to implement the major sections of the said Act in order to include qualified ,committed and patriotic Disabled Persons in his Cabinet, Ministries and Departments.
He continued by congratulating the President and his hardworking wife, the First Lady, whom she referred to as the Mother of Disabled Persons, on his reelection as the President and Fountain of Honor in the Republic of Sierra Leone.
The Disability Activist also extended thanks to him, the Minister of Social Welfare, the Commissioner of NaCSA, the United Nations Development Program, and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities for the recent review of the Disability Act of Sierra Leone.
He acknowledged the fact that they benefited from some of the efforts made during his previous Government through the Social Safety Nets that were implemented by NaCSA during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Disabled Trade Fair organized at the Miatta Conference Center, the 2021 Disabled Got Talent Show that was organized by the Ministry of Social Welfare, and the recently apportioned land at Six Mile to the Disabled people. He once more extended thanks.
Mohamed Yayah Kanneh continued that despite the above mentioned accomplishments persons living with disabilities continue to suffer humiliation, accessibility challenge, marginalization, discrimination, lack of incorporation and employment, hunger, poor health facilities in Government Health Centres and hospitals, challenges in acquiring tertiary education, no proper housing/ accommodation for the disabled, and many social ills that are inflicted by authorities in collaboration with their disabled brothers and sisters at the helm of affairs.
He made an appeal to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone to recharge and re-commission his cabinet, agencies and departments responsible for disability issues in order for them to double up their efforts and commitments to properly implement the 2011 Disability Act currently under review by the Ministry of Social Welfare and its partners, as the full implementation of the provisions in the said Act will see the problems encountered by the disabled become things of the past.
The disability activist listed the most important needs to be quickly addressed which includes Ministries, Departments and Agencies to make commitments to employ PWDs in Ministries and other parastatals of Government, that permanent Disability Certificates be given to all PWDs as evidence of their disabilities,that free drugs and assistive technology be provided in hospitals for PWDs to enjoy the Free Health Care Services, PWDs should enjoy full financial support in tertiary institutions, as stipulated in Section 10 (4) of the Education Act of 2004 and the PWDs Act of 2011.
He also recommended that NCPD be capacitated with decentralization and personnel to carry out both Government and donor projects for PWDs.
The activist also called for the creation of disability units in all Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies that would be charged with the sole responsibility of the improvement and development of disability matters in and out of Sierra Leone.
He appealed for capacitating and empowering PWDs with professional skills, trades, business ideas and startup capitals for the daily earnings and self-reliance of persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone. .
In order to facilitate easy movement they asked for the donation of vehicles and mini buses to DPOs, Disabled homes to ease their movements and reduce the transportation challenges that limit the movements of persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone.
He once more congratulated the President on his reelection and wished him a happy Governance tenure for successful development in his second term of office.
