By Sulaiman Jalloh
On the day marking International Day of Persons with Disability, Hon. Mohamed Alpha Jalloh from Falaba district assured the Ministry of Social Welfare and the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) that parliament without any reduction will approve the budget presented by the Ministry and the Commission to enhance activities of persons with disability in the country.
December 3rd every year is celebrated as International Day of People with Disability as a means to embrace inclusion, support people with disabilities in all areas of life.
This year’s occasion was conducted on Tuesday, December 2024 at the Miatta Conference Center Car park, Youyi building, brooksfields in Freetown Sierra Leone’s capital under the theme “Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development. The role of innovation in building an accessible and equitable Sierra Leone for the fulfillment of the Big Five Game Changers for Persons with Disabilities”.
“I want to assure the minister and NCPD on behalf of the social welfare committee and Parliament of Sierra Leone that nothing will reduce from the budget you submitted to Parliament,” he assured, emphasizing that Parliament will approve the budget the same way it was presented.
Speaking on behalf of Haja Miata Amarax, chairperson for the Committee on Social Welfare in Parliament, Honourable Jalloh expressed gratitude, saying the day was set aside to celebrate people that have been marginalized for so long in society, while reminding attendees about a statement made by a great scientist by the name Steven Hawkings who lived with disability. He said the late scientist had advised persons with special abilities to concentrate on things they can do without the disturbance of their disability.
“God cannot lock a door and a window at the same time,” he underscored, saying if one of the sense organs is disturbed the remaining ones can be enhanced.
The Member of Parliament furthered that there are things done by disabled persons that many abled persons cannot do, while giving an example to a blind imam at Ansarul Islamic Mission Kissy Dock-Yard who memorized the entire Holy Quran, something he said should motivate everyone regardless of the status in society.
He therefore advised all persons with disability to concentrate on the things they love doing which their disability cannot interfere with.
