The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s total commitment to improving the quality of life of Person with Disabilities being the most vulnerable citizens in Nigeria .
The Minister stated this at the inaugural meeting of the Nigeria Partnership for Disability Inclusive Development, (NIPDID) organised by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in Abuja.
The Minister through her Representive the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Sani- Gwarzo, mni, NPOM, said in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment of 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.
She noted that the primary mandate of the Commission is to coordinate and implement programmes and projects geared towards the improvement of the quality of life of the 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 to people with Disabilities
“We will continue to respect and honour our commitment to all International Treaties and committed to signing the African Protocol on Disability before the end of the year” she said.
As mark of the commitment of the country, the Minister approved 10% affirmation for disability inclusion in all the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP).
Farouq called on all National and International Bi-lateral and Multi-lateral agencies in Nigeria to scale up intervention on disability to 10% of their total commitment to Nigeria to transform the Lifes 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 Programmes 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 SightSavers, the World Bank, Save the Children International, CBM and 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 of the NCPWD. He said the success of the Commission in the past two years of it’s 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, programmes and implement them to improve to 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 Progeammes 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 change the quality of life of PWDs in the country.
Other participants at the event include, the Representatives of the British High Commission, SightSavers, World Bank , Save the Children International among others.