by Kenneth Alabaraonye, TQM reporter,
National commission for persons with disabilities (NCPWD) in conjunction with Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) on Thursday in Abuja celebrated the 2020 international day for person with disability in a grand style as the commission marks its first international day for persons with disabilities the year’s theme “building back better towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID- world’’.
The occasion which commenced with the welcome address by the JONAPWD President Mrs. Ekaete Judith Umoh, in her address welcomed all those who found time to attend and stated that JONAPWD is positioned to mobilize support for the dignity and development of persons with disabilities in both demand and supply side.
“As we sit here relaxed and enjoying ourselves is important we reflect the theme of this year’s celebration “building back better towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post covid19 by and for persons with disabilities’’ is now left for us to pick this opportunity up to begin to strategies with the government, development partners to see how it can be part of the reconstruction of country post COVID-19 on what is positive for us to enable us gain some milestones” she stated.
Building back better means that as government is beginning to think of interventions post Covid 19 in local government, in your community, it is important to see that we are at the decision making table from the designing stage, so that they will see that we are not just recipients but we are contributing in holistic way in building back Nigeria, she added.
Keep your ears to ground and your eyes open and if you hear of anywhere there is intervention going on, look out to see that is disability incorporated and if is not, it is your responsibility to tell the government that you are here, that is the essence of this celebration to awaken our consciousness and creating awareness amongst ourselves to change as we engage each other constructively and better. So let us begin to think how we can collectively join hands together to build back an inclusive society where persons with disabilities will have the space to contribute to national development.
The Executive Secretary of National Commission of Persons with disabilities (NCPWD) Mr. James Lalu in his speech thanked President Mohammed Buhari for not only passing the Disability law but also for the creation of the Humanitarian ministry and Disability Commission.
He said he was elated to be celebrating this year’s disability day as a commission and not as an individual and further reinstated the commission mandate and commitment to holistically improvement of the lives of PWDs in Nigeria.
Speaking further, he said that the commission is working out the necessary structures to commence operations properly and that the commission has been included in 2021 budgetary allocation of the federal government.
“You have seen the theme of the year’s international day of persons with disabilities is building back better, and you know our people were the most vulnerable during the Covid 19 period especially during the lockdown which really exposed a lot of challenges PWDs are facing and the NCPWD is now looking into all these challenges faced by PWDs in Nigeria to see better ways to address them especially in education, during the lockdown it was very difficult for PWDS to cope with online education. We at the commission are currently working with national assembly, relevant agencies to bring on board good legislations and policies that are disability inclusive to curb all these challenges, he said.
The Director, Rehabilitation, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs. Nkechi Onwukwe who represented the Honorable Minister congratulated the Executive Secretary for the new commission and expressed her happiness, that the day’s celebration was indeed colorful because this is last the one the ministry is going to mark because they are handing over the baton to the commission and she prayed that the commission will accommodate all agitations, clamoring, struggling so far.
On behalf of the minister, she wished James Lalu well and
appreciated God for the leadership quality that he possessed, a person of James
Lalu who is a versatile person in disability issues and development, so on this
note we say bravo.
This event witnessed drama presentations, panelist’s
discussions and other activities that made the colourful.
It was hugely attended by persons with disabilities, their families, friends and caregivers across the country.
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT:
