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In his usual show of compassion and love for the less-privileged in the society, the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien has taken up the training of Master Success Idongesit Johnson, a boy with hearing and speech impairment.
Nine-year-old Success Johnson, who has never had any form of formal education due to his peculiar challenge coupled with financial constraints faced by his mother, is an indigene of Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The Permanent Secretary announced this when he received a delegation of persons with disabilities led by the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Persons with disabilities, Comrade Ubong Imo Ikpe, who was on a courtesy visit to the Accountant General. Pastor Andrew-Essien directed the Personal Assistant to the Governor to liaise with his office, to ensure that the boy is enrolled in school during the coming academic session, assuring that he will train the boy through in school.
He congratulated the Personal Assistant to the Governor on persons with disabilities on his appointment, advising him to see the appointment as a call to service. “This is the first time the State is creating an office for persons with disabilities, I am praying that subsequent administrations will build on this, and I want you to see your appointment as a call to service”, he said.
Earlier the Personal Assistant to the Governor on persons with disabilities, Comrade Ubong Imo Ikpe said they were in the Office of the Accountant General to seek collaboration with him to facilitate the education and wellbeing of persons with disabilities.
Comrade Ubong Ikpe expressed gratitude to Governor Umo Bassey Eno for appointing him as his Personal Assistant on persons with disabilities, barely a month after his assumption of office, noting that, the gesture is unprecedented in the history of the State, as this is a testament to the value the Governor places on persons with disabilities.
The personal assistant maintained that by his appointment, discrimination and segregation suffered by persons with disabilities in assessing government activities, programmes and policies will become a thing of the past.
He said he came in contact with Master Success Idongesit Johnson, the hearing and speech-impaired boy during his working visit to Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua. He lamented that though he was intelligent, but was at home due to the fact that, his poor single mother, could not afford his tuition fees in a Special School and thanked the Accountant General for taking up the training of Master Success. Comrade Ikpe praised the Accountant General on his good work toward promoting good governance and adding value to the lives of Akwa Ibom people especially persons with disabilities.
