IMO LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR EMERGENCY RESCUE OF DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL IN OFEKATA ORODO ...AS IKPAMEZIE RE-ASSURES PRIORITIZING CONSTITUENTS' WELFARE -

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IMO LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR EMERGENCY RESCUE OF DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL IN OFEKATA ORODO

…AS IKPAMEZIE RE-ASSURES PRIORITIZING CONSTITUENTS’ WELFARE

By Onyekachi Eze

Giving credence to the safety and well-being of persons living with disability in Imo State, members of the Imo House of Assembly have beckoned on the government for immediate rehabilitation of Ofekata Orodo Special School, in Mbaitoli LGA.

The House called on Governor Hope Uzodimma to urgently intervene in the deteriorating condition of the School for the Deaf and Dumb, Ofekata, Orodo, describing the state of the institution as eyesore unworthy to habitat human beings.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the member representing Mbaitoli State Constituency, Hon. Innocent Ikpamezie, and jointly backed by several lawmakers, who urged the Governor to immediately direct the Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies to undertake a comprehensive rehabilitation of the institution.

Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Ikpamezie commended Governor Uzodimma for his administration’s sustained investment in infrastructure, education and the welfare of citizens, but stressed that the plight of children living with hearing and speech impairments requires urgent government attention.

He noted that the School for the Deaf and Dumb was established to provide specialized education and care for children with special needs, but lamented that years of infrastructural deterioration have left the institution in conditions that threaten both learning and the well-being of its scholars.

According to him, reports from the school indicate that classrooms, hostels, sanitary facilities, water supply, electricity and other essential amenities have deteriorated significantly, creating an environment unfit for teaching, learning and healthy living.

The lawmaker maintained that children with disabilities remain among the most vulnerable members of society and deserve deliberate government policies that guarantee equal access to quality education and a conducive learning environment.

Hon Ikpamezie reiterated that as a lawmaker, he will not relent in prioritizing the welfare of his people with support from the legislature.

Following extensive deliberations, the House unanimously resolved to respectfully urge Governor Uzodimma to direct the Ministry of Education to carry out an immediate technical inspection and comprehensive assessment of the school’s infrastructure with a view to commencing urgent rehabilitation.

The Assembly further called on the Ministries of Education, Works, Health, Housing, Water Resources and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to collaborate in restoring the institution by rehabilitating classrooms, hostels, toilets, healthcare facilities, water systems, electricity and other critical infrastructure required to make the school safe, functional and habitable.

In its third resolution, members urged the relevant authorities to provide adequate instructional materials, assistive educational devices, qualified teachers, therapists and other specialized personnel to address the unique educational requirements of the pupils.

Lawmakers described the intervention as both a humanitarian and constitutional responsibility, insisting that every child in Imo State, irrespective of physical disability, deserves access to quality education in an environment that preserves dignity, promotes inclusion and inspires hope.

The motion received overwhelming support across party lines and was co-sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, the Leader, Hon. Kanayo Onyemaechi, Hon. Chigozie Nwaneri, Hon. Obinna Egu, Hon. Dominic Ezerioha, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibeh, Hon. Ozioma Worship Ebonine, Hon. Johnson Duru Iheonukara, Hon. Samuel Osuji, Hon. Johnleoba Iheoha, Hon. Bernard Ozoemelam, Hon. Kelechi Ofurum and Hon. Chisom Ojukwu, underscoring the Assembly’s united resolve to improve the welfare of children with special needs across the State.