Over 19 million Nigerians live with disabilities and activists are calling for more support for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
They made the call during a conference to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWDs) entitled: “Inclusion Matters: Access and Empowerment for People of All Abilities”, organized by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD) in Abuja.
The women affairs minister Senator Jummai Alhassan said the consequences of being disabled remains one of the major challenges that threatens the existence of humanity.
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She said the IDPWDs were aimed at encouraging and promoting activities that will ensure the empowerment of PWDs in Nigerian society.
Alhassan also reiterated that her ministry is continuing to make efforts to pass the Nigerian Disability Bill into law.
“Nigeria has about 19 million persons living with one form of disability or the other. Therefore disability issues are far too important to be ignored,” said the director of the welfare department at the FMWASD Jummai Mohammed.
She said the population of PWDs is large enough to attract attention and consideration in policy formulation and implementation.
Bello called on activists and private organizations to pay attention to the action plan the FMWASD drew up on disability issues.
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, said his ministry was looking into the employment problems faced by PWDs, stressing that there is need to reduce the unemployment rate amongst the disabled.
In turn, the director of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWDs), Ekaete Umoh, called on politicians to pass the Disabled Bill into law.
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With 19 million Nigerians affected by some form of disability, this means that 11% of the country has some sort of physical or mental ailment.
The disabled usually face discrimination in their daily lives and are often hidden away in private, prevented from taking party in communal life and activities.
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