Call for Morobe government to establish office for disabled

A CALL has been made for the creation of the position of disability officer in the Morobe government to deal with people and provide services.
Representatives of People Living with a Disability (PWD), leaders of disability person organisations (DPO) and community development officers (CDO) from the province’s nine districts want the position created under the division of community development office so the officer could directly deal with their issues.
This was part of their recommendations after an induction for district CDO and DPO leaders in Lae on Friday.
Markham CDO Wanti Liron said the province needed a disability officer to deal with issues and ensure policy implementation.
District officers raised issues concerning disability policy implementation and the United Nation’s convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, which was not being followed in local level governments and council wards.
The national disability policy goal is to establish and strengthen implementation, infrastructure and coordinated systems to improve lives of PWD.
Objectives to achieve the goal are promoting and protecting rights of PWDs via organised networking and support for advocates and change agents.
Other objectives include improving delivery of disability services, using inclusive development and community-based rehabilitation (CBR) approaches to positively impact PWD, and improved institutional framework, performance management and financing arrangements focused around implementing the policy action plan.
Acting provincial community development programme adviser Keputong Geibob supported the district officers’ call and said there was a need for a separate disability officer.
“We need to have an office for disability within our provincial administration,” Geibob said.
“The officer would ensure there is accurate data kept and that services for disabled people are accessible.
“CDOs have done a lot in districts with the programme.”
He urged district officers to push for the position.
Geibob said the province did not have proper statistics for People Living with a Disabilities.
“There is lack of accurate data which has created a missing link between the division, faith-based and non-government organisations.”