More than one hundred visually impaired and blind persons under the umbrella of the National Association of the Blind, Anambra State Chapter, recently converged on Awka, for the 2022 White Cane Safety Day.

 

The International event holding annually on fifteenth October is set aside to celebrate the achievements of the blind and virtually impaired.

The celebration was marked with a rally, which kicked off from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka to Regina Caeli Junction through Aroma Junction and terminated at the cathedral.

 

The celebration also featured a seminar.

 

During the rally, the participants sensitized the public on the importance of white cane in the lives of the visually impaired.

According to the State Chairman of the Association, Mr Ernest Okanmelu, the white cane is an essential tool that gives them the ability to achieve a full independent life and urged virtually impaired persons not to feel ashamed of using it.

 

Mr Okanmelu, appealed to the government, public spirited individuals and Non-governmental Organizations, to always make the white cane available for them.

The Public Relations Officer of the Association, Mr Emmanuel Chude and a member of the association, who spoke during the event, gave a brief history of the white cane day and called on the Anambra State government to strengthen the commission in charge of enforcing the Disability Rights Law in the State, so that those who are virtually impaired can live a. normal life.

 

Felicitating with the association, the Chairman, Joint National Association for Persons with Disability, Anambra State chapter, Mr Ugochukwu Okeke called on members of the association to add value to their lives by learning skills