By Oliver Nweke,
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has held the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disability in grand style in Abuja, the nation’s capital. MDAs, the private sectors, diplomatic corps, CSOs and NGOs graced the event with various calls for collaboration and partnership with NCPWD.
The Executive Secretary, NCPWD, Dr. James David Lalu called for better budgetary allocation for the commission from the National Assembly. He urged sates yet to domesticate the disability law in their various states to do so.
Dr. Lalu appreciated the efforts and collaborations by various stakeholders, especially the CSOs and NGO on disabilities advocacy that led to the signing and domestication of the disability act.
the Honorable Minister, Federal Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, the ES, NCPWD along with other dignitaries distributed various assistive devices to PWDs.
The items distributed include; Orbits Reader, Brail Wrist Watch, Collapsible Guide Cane, iPhone PRO max with Optical Characters the Slits, Silos, the Jaws Screen Readers, Laptop With Jaws, Talking Watch, Topping Calculator, Tinted Glasses, Digital Magnifiers, Low Visual Lamps, The Carry Special Border, Building Blocks For CWA , Talking Toys For CWA , Doorbell For The Deaf, and Speech To Text For The Deaf, Latin Devices, Digital Hearing AIDS, HP Laptops, Sewing Machines, Hair Dryers, Hair Clippers, Wheelchairs, Tri Cycles, Clutches for the Armpits, Clutches for the Elbows, amongst other assisted devices.
In his remark, the Chairman of the occasion, Senator Osita Izunaso, founder, Kpakpando foundation assured the PWDs of better representation in the senate chamber. He assured Nigerians of the review of the disability act, and speedy passage of the amended version.
Senator Osita Izunaso said “The National Assembly is poised to reviewing the Act. We have observed some lacuna in the Act. W are now set to amend it. As a matter of fact, the amendment bill is before the National Assembly, as we talk. It has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. It is about to go for second reading in the Senate.
“There are very many critical areas that has to be amended; a situation where the bill is talking about 5 percent employment opportunity for person with disability only in the public sector. What about in the private sector? The private sector has to be accommodated.
The bill is talking about issuing disability certificates to persons with disabilities. That is discriminatory. Why do you have to give PWDs a certificate for being a disabled person? It is discriminatory. We also have to find other ways of identifying persons with disability, but not by giving them certificate.
“We are saying that there is suppose to be a trust fund for PWDs. We need to have a trust fund where government can set aside at least 1 percent of revenue generated for PWDs.”
Also in his remarks, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Disability, Hon. Bashir Dawodu assured PWDs and NCPWD of full support by the National Assembly leadership. He informed the occasion that the House of Representatives is working on better budgetary allocation for the commission.
