Grace Egila
The Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s total commitment to improving the quality and life of People living with Disabilities in the country.
Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director of Information in a statement on Monday said the Minister stated this at the inaugural meeting of the Nigeria Partnership for Disability Inclusive Development, (NIPDID) organized by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Abuja.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Sani- Gwarzo said in line with Buhari’s commitment to lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty, the President has assented to the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in 2022, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
According to the statement, the Minister noted that the primary mandate of the Commission is to coordinate and implement programs and projects geared towards the improvement of the quality of life of PWDs in Nigeria.
“The Ministry is working towards empowering the Commission to regulate and enforce the implementation of the Act including physical access to buildings and making it easy for people with Disabilities.
“We will continue to respect and honor our commitment to all International Treaties and committed to signing the African Protocol on Disability before the end of the year, she said.
The Minister as a mark of her commitment to the country approved a 10% affirmation for disability inclusion in all the National Social Investment Programs (NSIP).
Farouq called on all National and International Bilateral and Multi-lateral agencies in Nigeria to scale up intervention on disability to 10% of their total commitment to Nigeria to transform the Lives of the PWDs.
She said approval has been given for the take-off of the Nigeria Partnership for Disability Inclusive Development and the establishment of the Development Partnership and Programs Unit at the Commission to operate directly under the Office of the Executive Secretary/ CEO of the Commission.
The Minister expressed appreciation to all the development partners in providing both technical and financial support to the Commission in different ramifications such as the Sight Savers, the World Bank, Save the Children International, CBM, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the British High Commission through the ROLAC project.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, James Lalu, thanked the Ministry and all stakeholders for the establishment of the Disability Act as well as the establishment the NCPWD.
He said the success of the Commission in the past two years of its existence is credited to the support provided by all stakeholders.
Lalu said the formation of the NIPDID is a beautiful initiative and the Commission is looking forward to a strong team that will develop ideas, and programs and implement them to improve the quality of life of the PWDs in Nigeria.
He commended the Minister for approving the 10% affirmation for disability inclusion in all National Social Investment Programs and urged all development partners to commit 10% of their total interventions to Nigeria to support PWDs.
This he said will help to expand services and commitment to changing the quality of life of PWDs in the country.
Other participants at the event include the representatives of the British High Commission, Sight Savers, World Bank, and Save the Children International among others.
