By Chimezie Godfrey
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umaru Farouq, has called on stakeholders to promote the participation of persons with disabilities, leveraging on the goals of the 2030 development agenda.
Farouq who stated this on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing in commemoration of 2019 International Day of Persons With Disabilities (IDPWDs) in Nigeria, also called on the media as the fourth estate of the realm, adding that they have a huge role to play.
“This year’s commemoration will accord us the opportunity to access our progress, identify gaps and challenges and best practices towards improving and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
“I wish to reinstate that we all must join hands especially in line with this year’s theme to promote the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership, leveraging on the 17 goals of the 2030 development agenda.
“In this regards, the media- the fourth estate of the realm, would definitely have a huge role to play,” she said.
She pointed out that the country achieved a great feat by signing and assenting to the discrimination against persons with disabilities (Prohibition) act 2018, after 18 years of long struggle.
According to her, the act is intended for the integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities into the society and the creation of National Commission for persons with disabilities in charge of their socio-economic, educational and health needs.
She further said that as part of efforts to alleviate and reduce the sufferings among persons with disabilities, the federal government through her ministry, have been supporting PWDs on annual basis.
Some of the supports include the provision of wheelchairs, tricycles, braille machines, guide canes, crutches, and grinding machines.
Others are hair dryers, barbing clippers, sewing machines and vulcanizing machines.
The Minister disclosed that her ministry has been able to reopen the Nigerian Farmcraft centre for the blind, Lagos for admission of trainees, after 2 years of closure.
She added that currently the 48 trainees are at the point of concluding their trainings at the centre.
