The wind of advocacy for a qualified political appointee to over see the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (FMHAPA) has spread to Lagos with dozens of People With Disabilities (PWDs) taken to street to advocate for appointment of Dr. Halimat Tejuosho, as the Minister for the ministry.
The PWDs said that the vacant position required an individual, especially a woman, that understands burdens of downtrodden Nigerians and have empathy for them on their challenges.
They noted that the remarkable work done by Tejuoso for them and their friends over the years attested to her qualities as an individual that would serve the people better and inculcate in Nigerian the Renewed Hope Agenda of the incumbent administration.
This was their message on Wednesday when they trooped out on Lagos streets to recommend Tejuoso for the vacant seat in President Tinubu’s cabinet.
The PWDs recommendation came exactly four months after the president suspended the former minister, Betta Edu, for allegedly engaging in misappropriation.
Addressing pressmen during the rally, a female member of the group, Bolaji Shonuwe, said that they have benefitted from Tejuoso’s humanitarian gesture and wanted her to replicate such kindness under the Renewed Hope Agenda to many parts of the country.
Shonuwe, a civil engineer, stated that many PWDs have benefitted from her kind gesture, saying she didn’t limit her humanitarian program to our members in Southwest alone, but also extended it to other regions.
“I believe that she has also reached out to PWDs in other regions to ensure that we (PWDs) live better lives. For us, we appreciate what she has done over the years, she has become a shoulder to lean on often as well as putting smiles on our face when we needed a shoulder to lean on.
“It is our believe that when she has the opportunity to do more for people especially Nigerian that might have suffered any form of disaster. I know that Tejuoso will not hesitate to ensure that they get all that they needed to address their challenges.
“So it is our desire that she takes over the vacant minister seat and extend the renewed hope ideology to all Nigerians especially those in the remote areas of the country”.
Another member of the group, Adeyemi Adeseye, disclosed that the testimonies from his friends outside Lagos revealed the passion Tejuoso has for people especially indigent Nigerians.
Adeseye, who is visually impaired, noted that they need an individual that understand their plight and could provide the desired solution, adding, Tejuoso carries this qualities.
Adeseye, who is an athlete, stressed that their is need for PWDs especially those in sports, not to rely solely on the Minister of sports to address their challenges, saying we need an inter-ministerial response to our needs and this can be achieved through appointment of a humanitarian, Tejuoso.
“So, we are passionately appealing our father and president to appoint Tejuoso to lead FMHAPA. We know what she can do and we believe Tejuoso will deliver better than her predecessors”.
Another member, Gbolahan Jonah, stressed that aside the gesture to them over the years, Tejuoso is also young and have the strength to pilot the ministry affairs towards achieving the goal of the administration.
It was learnt that Tejuoso celebrated his 40th birthday recently with PWDs, putting smiles on their faces.
