By TINA AKANNAM, Dutse

A pastor of an American-based Westside Presbyterian Church and president of Beautiful Handicap Centre based in Plateau State, Dr. Ronald Rice has donated 50 wheelchairs to Jigawa State Government in an effort to bring succour to physically challenged persons in the state, just as he declared the state as the only disabled friendly state in the country.

Presenting the donation at the state Government House in Dutse, Pastor Rice said Jigawa State is the 19th state in the north to benefit from his organisation’s benevolence in Nigeria, saying they have distributed 4,300 wheel chairs to victims of polio in all the northern states.

Said he: “Since I came to Nigeria, Jigawa is the only state that has practically demonstrated compassion for the physically challenged persons. Tens and thousands of polio victims are crawling on the ground with their hands. Your Excellency, we came to your state to sow a seed with this 50 wheel chairs. We expect that your government and religious organisations will help to put fertilizers and water the seed so that it can grow into many more wheel chairs for the disableds in your state.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the partner of Dr. Rice, a disabled barrister, Ayuba Gufwan thanked Gov. Sule Lamido for carrying disabled persons along in his government. He presented an award of honour on behalf of the Beautiful Handicap Centre to the governor in appreciation of his contributions to the disableds in the state.

In his response, Gov. Lamido thanked the organisation for the kind gesture, adding that his government will not relent in their support for the physically challenged, pointing out that in Jigawa State there is no disparity between them and other persons.