Favour Ishember, Abuja
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities is calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike to establish the FCT Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
This commission will serve as a platform for advocacy, protection of rights, and facilitation of inclusive policies and programs in the FCT.
Speaking with newsmen during a press briefing in Abuja, Comrade Mike Gideon Maikumo, North Central Zonal Coordinator of the Association of Persons with Disabilities, emphasized that individuals with disabilities face numerous challenges, including lack of accessibility, discrimination, limited educational and employment opportunities, and social stigma.
The absence of a dedicated commission in the FCT exacerbates these issues, hindering full participation and integration into society.
The proposed commission aims to address these needs, ensure voices are heard, and promote empowerment and well-being. Key objectives include:Advocacy and Awareness: Raising awareness about rights, capabilities, and contributions of persons with disabilities.
Policy Development: Collaborating with stakeholders to develop and implement policies promoting accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunities.
Support Services: Providing assistance with education, employment, healthcare, and social integration,and Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring initiatives, evaluating effectiveness, and making recommendations for improvement.
“This commission will be instrumental in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, ensuring their voices are heard, and promoting their empowerment and well-being.
” Similarly, it is also important that a senior special assistant to the FCT minister on special needs and equal opportunities be appointed. This will help to speedily facilitate the creation of the commission”.
The association also calls on the President, National Assembly, and FCT administration to support the establishment of the commission and provide necessary resources. Additionally, they appeal to state governors to prioritize issues affecting persons with disabilities in their respective states.
“We’ll also like to cease this opportunity to call on the President and the national assembly to appropriate reasonable funds to the national commission. This will help it to meet the yearnings of PWDs nationwide thereby reducing the influx of PWDs from different states into Abuja just to beg”
“We appeal to State governors to ensure that issues of PWDs in their respective states are given utmost priority. This will also ensure th!at PWDs get good treatment in their states thereby discouraging them from migrating into Abuja for street begging”
” We call on the FCT administration to urgently look into the existing FCT rehabilitalion centers with a view to making them conducive for different skills acquisition. This will automatically take PWDs away from the streets”, he said.
It will be recalled that the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike has authorised the enforcement of ban on Street begging in the Federal Capital Territory.
