As part of his advocacy for a holistic inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the scheme of things and beyond all secular system, the Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James David Lalu on Thursday 25th August, 2022 in Abuja payed a courtesy visit to the newly appointed President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Most Rv. Dr. Daniel C. Okoh.
While addressing the Cleric, the ES opined that teamwork is very essential towards achieving success, and insisted that the Church must take a central stage in the welfare of the susceptible in the in the society and as such the roles of the church in the lives of persons with disabilities cannot be over emphasized.
He demanded that Persons with disabilities should be considered and be given 5 percent inclusion on the yearly Christian pilgrimage.
“Most of the activities of Jesus Christ were centered on persons with disabilities; the lame, the deaf and the blind whom he usually used for emphases during his sermons.
This should make the church see PWDs as unique vehicle in the quest to eternal life” he said philosophically.
The Executive Secretary as well pointed out that the Church is a big institution which makes it an employer of labor. And disclosed that PWDs are very brilliant persons who can fit into any organized labor force and excel.
Lalu added that the Commission is planning a summit later this year and disclosed that the discourse will be centered on the wellbeing of PWDs and the inclusion projects of the Commission and expressed his desire to have all religious bodies in attendance.
He thanked the CAN President for his hospitality and amity.
In his response, the CAN President most Rev. Dr. Daniel Okoh disclosed that the issue of disabilities is not something new to him and his family as one of his family members became blind in her prime and later got lame at a time when she was getting advanced in age.
He stated that the situation at home has given him the self-assurance and realization on the importance of inclusion and integration of PWDs in the scheme of things.
He volunteered himself as a Patron of PWDs in Nigeria.It must be recalled that the Executive Secretary visited the Sultan of Sokoto previously on this bid to bring the religious in the struggle to the overall inclusion of persons with Disabilities in the scheme of things.
