TQM report,
Arewa Person with Disabilities Forum (APDF) held a meeting on Tuesday 25th May, 2021 at the AREWA House, Kaduna to strengthen its internal structures, engage with the critical stakeholders and amply express its voice on the current state of affairs of persons with disabilities of the Northern extraction and Nigeria in general,
The meeting was attended by our amiable Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James Lalu, the SA to the President on Special Needs, Mr. Danjuma Attah, the SSA to Mr. President on Disability Matters, Mallam Garba Shehu, and many other SAs to State Governors on Disability matters, several other political appointees, cluster heads amongst other prominent personalities of our community.
After extensive deliberations the following resolutions were arrived at:-1. The Forum noted and appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his goodwill and profound love demonstrated in the signing of the Nigeria Disability Act and also setting up the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and at the same time forthrightly appointing competent and prominent members of Northern extraction as both the Executive Secretary and members of the Board.
2. The Forum notes that the setting up of the Commission to cater for the wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria is not only laudable but life redeeming and in line with development goals agenda of the united nations.
3. The Forum appreciates successive National Assembly sessions for the promulgation of the Disability Act, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, various CSOs and stakeholders that played important role in bringing about the Disability law in Nigeria thereby giving persons with disabilities formal and prominent roles in the governance architecture of the Country.
4. The Forum noted with pain the negative impact of COVID -19 on persons with Disabilities which has left majority of our members jobless, and suffering but, however appreciates the various initiatives of the Federal Government towards alleviating the adverse effects of COVID- 19 on our populace while urging government at all levels to do more to support us to not only thrive but live.
5. The Forum emphasized the need for state and federal government to engage widely with persons with Disabilities in the various stages of proffering solutions to the present security challenges bedevilling the nation putting into perspective the vulnerability of members of our community, who are likely to be worst hit in emergency situations.
6. The Forum expressed the need for power brokers in all political parties to include persons with Disabilities in the 2023 political equation and opportunities considering the huge untaped numerical strength and potentials of members of our community.
7. The Forum embraces and identify with the supreme and strongest voices supporting the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of the Nation while urging all those pursuing separatist agendas to shield their sword and embrace the unity of the Nation.
8. The Forum calls for collective effort in addressing the lingering challenges of the North e.g. Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, etc which in no small measures affects persons with disabilities in the north.
9. The Forum expressed concern over the low level involvement of people with Disabilities in the implementation of programmes and initiatives of Government and calls on all relevant Agencies to review implementation strategies to make for maximum involvement, impact and benefits of people with Disabilities.
10. The Forum calls on all political appointees with Disabilities in the North and all members in position of authority to be good ambassadors of APDF while promising that the Forum will henceforth speak in one voice and continue to pull together to push its interests in all ramifications.
The resolutions was endorsed by the Chairman of the forum, Alh Ibrahim Sani Bakura.
