The Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday urged governments at all levels and well- meaning Nigerians to always assist the less-privileged, especially people with disabilities.
Gbajabiamila made the call in Lagos during a visit to the Hearts of Gold Children Hospice, where he spent time with abandoned children and children with disabilities.
Most of the children are sufferers of cerebral palsy, down syndrome, dyslexia and autism.
He said that people with disabilities deserve attention not discrimination, and should have a sense of belonging in the society.
The lawmaker said he had made a visit to the hospice on New Year Day a must, to interact with children in the facility.
“I call on governments at all levels as well as well-meaning Nigerians to always support the less-privileged people, especially people with disabilities.
“What we need to give them is hope and attention. We should not discriminate against them. We need to support them, we need to help them.
“My visit to the children today is not new. I have always been here on every New Year Day.
“The essence is to identify with them because they are part of the people I represent and to do my own bit to impact on them, ” he said.
The lawmaker said he was passionate about the welfare of people disabilities, hence he was sponsoring a bill to advance their cause.
He explained that the bill sought to reserve a percentage of all Federal Government jobs to people with disabilities, to provide opportunities for them and give them a sense of belonging.
Gbajabiamila commended the hospice for the humanitarian service of taking care of children with serious disabilities, pledging his continued support for the facility.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that he presented a cheque of N100,000 to the management of the hospice to assist the children.
He also gave mattresses, cartons of food items, diapers, bags of rice and other consumables to the hospice.
Receiving the cheque and the other items, the founder of the hospice, Mrs Laja Adedoyin, thanked Gbajabiamila for taking time out to interact with the children and donating items.
She said his gesture was a lesson in impactful leadership.
Adedoyin acknowledged that Gbajabiamila had been one of the supporters of the facility and prayed that God should reward him.
“We thank you, we appreciate what you have done for us and other people in the constituency.
“We are watching and monitoring your strides, we can only pray God will reward you, ” she said.
Adedoyin called on other Nigerians to emulate the gesture of the lawmaker by doing their bit to touch the lives of children at the facility.
Earlier, the lawmaker had visited the Gbaja Maternal Maternity Hospital, Surulere to welcome the first baby of the year in the facility.
NAN reports that the first baby of the year in the facility was born at exactly 8.16 am.
‘Baby Adeleke’, a male, weighed 2.9kg at birth.
Gbajabiamila congratulated the parents of the baby, Mr and Mrs Taiwo Adeleke, praying God to grant both mother and baby good health.
He also prayed God would supply resources for the father to take care of them.
Gbajabiamila presented the parents with a cheque of N100,000.
He also gave loads of diapers, baby clothing and two bags of rice to the parents of the baby.
The atmosphere at the hospital was escatic as the lawmaker presented giifts to parents of other babies born after Baby Adeleke.
The baby’s father, Mr Taiwo Adeleke, thanked Gbajabiamila for the cash and gifts.
He said he was pleasantly surprised by the lawmaker’s gesture and prayed that God should reward him.
“I thank the lawmaker for this show of generosity. I am pleasantly surprised and I pray God should reward him,” he said. (NAN)