By Ere-ebi Agedah
National Commission Persons with Disability has reiterated its commitment for inclusion and accessibility for Persons With Disability in the country, stating that issues of disability are everyone’s business and must be included in all facets of human endeavor.
Addressing a press conference on the global disability summit 2018/2022 in partnership with Sight Savers Nigeria in Abuja, Executive Secretary James Lalu stressed that the FG is keen to make a lasting commitment to people with disabilities in line with the themes of the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2022.
According to the ES, the commission is ready to review emergency and disaster preparedness in response to policies and procedures to ensure that PWD are fully captured, provided with shelter, food/ Non-food items, NFI and water facilities.
He insisted that the government is also committed to mobilizing relevant actors to take proactive measures by increasing employment of persons with disability in humanitarian roles, especially, women, youths and those from under-represented groups.
Lalu said that the government will also raise awareness in families and communities about the implication of the human rights model of disability, and the importance of promoting social inclusion at the community level to advance inclusive education. The country also commits to take measures by ensuring that gender based violence risk mitigation and responses including sexual and reproductive health service are inclusive and accessible to women and girls including men and boys with disability.
“The NCPWD is committed to capacity strengthening of organisations of PWDs.
“We are prepared to facilitate engagement with and in procedures review of emergencies to ensure disaster preparedness and responses to include PWDs, provision of shelters, food sanitation and hygiene services.
“Also, we are committed to inclusive education; to Promote and strengthen the inclusive education system in Nigeria through policy implementation and teacher’s capacity building.
“It will include budget appropriation, effective monitoring, collection of disability data and provision of assistive devices to enhance quality education for all learners with disability,” Lalu said.
The Country Director of Sight Savers, Dr Sunday Ishiaku represented by Razaq Olukoya said in 2018 the Federal Government of Nigeria made some commitments at the GDS noting that the question is what has been achieved since then.
