Ododo Continuity PWD Empowerment Project targets economic independence, while disability advocate urges full implementation of state disability rights law
By The Qualitative Magazine
The Kogi State Government has empowered more than 100 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the first phase of an initiative designed to promote economic independence, create livelihood opportunities and improve the living conditions of beneficiaries and their families.
The programme, known as the Ododo Continuity PWD Empowerment Project, featured the distribution of livelihood equipment, including sewing machines, grinding machines, Point of Sale (POS) terminals and electric ovens, alongside plans to establish skill acquisition centres and provide targeted financial support for persons with disabilities across the state.
The presentation took place on Friday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, where the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Office for Disability Affairs (KOSODA), Hon. Yakubu Nazir Abdulhakeem, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of the state government’s commitment to disability inclusion and economic empowerment.
Abdulhakeem said the programme was designed to move beyond immediate assistance by equipping persons with disabilities with the skills, resources and opportunities needed to establish sustainable businesses, earn income and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.
According to him, the initiative will establish skill acquisition centres across Kogi State’s three senatorial districts, provide POS business setups with startup packages and extend targeted business support funds to beneficiaries across the local government areas.
He explained that the intervention would help beneficiaries acquire marketable skills, build viable businesses, support their families and potentially create employment opportunities for others.
‘Empowering a Person With a Disability Means Empowering a Family’
The KOSODA executive secretary emphasised that the economic consequences of disability often extend beyond individuals, affecting household income, marriages and family stability.
He said the programme recognises these realities by incorporating financial assistance for couples with disabilities and the Association of Wives of Persons with Disabilities, acknowledging the additional economic pressures faced by such households.
“When we empower a person with a disability, we empower a family; when we empower a family, we strengthen a community; and when we strengthen our communities, we strengthen Kogi State,” Abdulhakeem said.
He assured persons with disabilities across the state that the initiative was intended to expand access to economic opportunities and ensure that they were not excluded from the benefits of inclusive development.
Abdulhakeem commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for supporting disability inclusion, empowerment and human development, saying the administration’s interventions had renewed hope and confidence within the disability community.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the First Lady of Kogi State, Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo, for her concern for vulnerable groups, particularly persons with disabilities.
Other officials and stakeholders recognised for their contributions included the Accountant-General of the state, Chief Dr. Habibat Oyiza Tijjani Onumoko; the Secretary to the State Government; commissioners; heads and representatives of ministries, departments and agencies; traditional rulers; community leaders; development partners; and organisations of persons with disabilities.
The KOSODA boss stressed that disability inclusion should not be left to a single government agency but should be treated as a collective responsibility involving government institutions, communities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
He described the first phase of the project as the beginning of a broader effort to remove barriers, expand participation and create sustainable economic opportunities for persons with disabilities throughout Kogi State.
Disability Advocate Calls for Full Implementation of Rights Law
While acknowledging the importance of the empowerment initiative, the Executive Director of Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation (RECEF), Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina, urged the Kogi State Government to go beyond the distribution of empowerment items by fully implementing the state’s disability rights law.
Muraina made the call during a paper presentation titled “Beyond Empowerment: Advancing Inclusion, Dignity and Self-Reliance for Persons with Disabilities in Kogi State.”
He acknowledged the state’s progress in disability inclusion through the enactment of a legal framework and the establishment of the Office for Disability Affairs, but maintained that more deliberate action was needed to translate these achievements into meaningful improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities.
His presentation highlighted the need for stronger implementation of disability policies and sustained efforts to protect the dignity, rights and economic independence of persons with disabilities.
The call underscored the importance of complementing empowerment programmes with effective policy implementation and measures that enable beneficiaries to participate fully in society.
Head of Service Urges Beneficiaries to Put Items to Productive Use
The Kogi State Head of Service, Hajia Falilat Musa, also expressed appreciation to Governor Ododo for his commitment to inclusivity and concern for persons with disabilities.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in her office, Musa urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the equipment distributed to them to improve their livelihoods.
The items presented to beneficiaries included sewing machines for tailoring businesses, grinding machines for small-scale processing enterprises, POS terminals for financial transaction services and electric ovens for baking and other food-related businesses.
Sustainability Will Determine the Project’s Impact
The first phase of the Ododo Continuity PWD Empowerment Project represents an opportunity to strengthen the economic participation of persons with disabilities in Kogi State.
However, the long-term impact of the initiative will depend not only on the distribution of equipment but also on sustained support, access to markets, business training, accessible facilities and effective monitoring to ensure that beneficiaries can build viable enterprises.
The establishment of the proposed skill acquisition centres and the delivery of business support across the state’s senatorial districts and local government areas will also be important in determining how widely the programme’s benefits are shared.
For persons with disabilities, meaningful empowerment goes beyond receiving equipment. It requires removing the physical, institutional and economic barriers that restrict access to education, employment, finance and entrepreneurship.
With the first phase now unveiled, stakeholders will be watching to see how the programme develops into a sustainable intervention that advances inclusion, protects dignity and expands economic opportunities for persons with disabilities across Kogi State.
