Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja
The Federal Government on Tuesday said efforts were ongoing towards the establishment of the National Commission for Persons Living with Disabilities in Nigeria.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, said this in Abuja while receiving officials of the Coalition of International Non-Governmental Organisations Working on Disability.
She was quoted in a statement by her ministry’s Deputy Director, Communications, Rhoda Iliya, as saying, “The President signed into law in January 2019 the Act establishing the Discrimination against Persons Living with Disabilities (Prohibition Act).
“This was in fulfilment of our obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”
Umar-Farouq said based on the Act establishing the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the agency had the responsibility to ensure the monitoring, evaluation and realisation of government policy objectives on persons with disabilities.
“It will liaise with the public and private sectors to ensure that the interests of persons with disabilities are taken into consideration in every government policy, programmes and activities,” she said.
The leader of the delegation and Country Director, Sight Savers, Sunday Ishaku, appreciated the Federal Government for allocating 10 per cent of the new N-Power programme to people living with disabilities.
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