By Chris Agbo, Abuja
Flowing from the stakeholders meeting between The Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Haijah Umar Sadiya Farouk and the Persons with disabilities(PWDs) on Thursday, April 23rd to discuss on how PWDs can be mainstreamed in the government intervention to cushion the effect of COVID-19 lockdown.
After, hearing from the representatives of the persons with disabilities, The Minister promised to work with stakeholders to distribute palliative to their members in the three states where the President declared a lockdown which is Lagos, FCT and Ogun.
With this, it becomes pertinent that the group must form a committee to ensure success in the discharge of their duty given to them by the Minister. The members of the group which was drawn from different clusters and organizations, notably, the Coalition of Disability Organizations, JONAPWD FCT, and Albino Foundation. These members in the aftermath of the Meeting with the Minister put heads together with the SSA to the Minister on Disability Matters, Danjuma Atta and The representative of the SSA to Mr. President on Disability matters to form a PWDs relief Committee on COVID-19 to be a link between the persons with disabilities and the Ministry during this fight against COVID-19. The committee unanimously appointed Jake Epelle, the Founder, Albino Foundation as the Chairman of the Committee, Lois Auta as the Vice Chairman, Abdulmumuni Ujah as the Secretary and Obinna Ekujereonye as the Publicity Secretary. Other members are Dr. Chike Okogwu, Agbo Christian (ED, The Qualitative Magazine), Mrs Patience Dickson, Scholarisca Kalama, Comrade Musa Muazu, Beatrice Mube, Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu who was ably representative by Offiong Otta. It was agreed that the committee can be expanded to accommodate more in the near future. The committee is expected to be interfacing with the minister through the SSA on Disability Matters and ensure that the needs of PWDs are articulated by the minister to ensure that inclusion of PWDs in all government relief and intervention programmes as the fight against COVID-19 continues.
