JONAPWD Advises President Tinubu Joint National Association Of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD) has passed a vote of confidence on The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD), Mr. James David Lalu.
The National President of this umbrella body of Persons With Disabilities, Abdullahi Usman Aliyu made this expression in Abuja during a press conference organized by the group on the state of affairs in the Nation since the inception of this new administration.
Mr. Aliyu said that the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) under the leadership of Mr. James David Lalu has recorded noticeable feats even though it has been grossly under-resourced.”
Although the NCPWD represents one of the fulfilments of Federal Government’s commitments on social inclusions, the rights and privileges of persons with disabilities are still not given the required appropriateness”.
He expressed concern that the NCPWD has not been given adequate resources (financial and technical) which are needed to translate government services and actions into systems that equally and meaningfully drive the representation and participation of Nigerians with Disabilities, particularly in all procedures and processes around designs, implementation, budgeting, enforcement and monitoring.
“With the closing of the five (5) year moratorium, JONAPWD wishes to categorically urge the new administration to consider the operations of the NCPWD under the office of the President, particularly with continuation of Mr. James David Lalu as the Executive Secretary of the Commission, which we advocated for”.
He also said that in achieving this, it will definitely serve to sustain multi-sectoral correspondences for addressing the systemic barriers militating against persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
The group felicitated with His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the newly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and appreciated the All-Progressive Congress (APC), and particularly to the outgoing administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari for activating right-based agendas by signing the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill into law, and the subsequent establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) is the umbrella Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in Nigeria. They largely exist as a civil coalition of organizations which brings together the key umbrella OPDs in Nigeria. In similar vein, they facilitate all development actions of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other enablers of disability rights and programmes in Nigeria.
They are a full-fledged member of the Disabled People’s International (DPI), the West Africa Federation of the Disabled (WAFOD) and a permanent member of the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF).
They are also a member of Rehabilitation International and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), a global network working to empower persons with disabilities and provide sustainable solutions for a more inclusive society.JONAPWD is on the board of the African Disability Forum (ADF), composed of broad representatives which bring together continental, sub-regional and national organizations of persons with and without disabilities in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR).
Some from Pictures from the World Press Conference ( Courtesy Of JONAPWD Facebook Page).
