Laraba MUREY
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to create a ministry for Persons with Disabilities, PWDs.
Adamu, who made the call during a meeting with APC PWD, zonal/state leaders in Abuja, said the leadership of the party would take steps to ensure governors appoint PWDs as board members of parastatals and at least one commissioner.
“The NWC will take whatever steps are appropriate. When we meet the president to convey this message because for me it’s a message; it is not an assignment and it is my prayers we succeed so that one of the Ministry will be for the PWDs,” he said.
Adamu noted that if the women and youths can have ministries, there is no reason why a large constituency like Persons with Disabilities should not have a ministry where their welfare and sustainability can be looked after.
“There is the presentation that the six Zonal Leaders and 36 state leaders made. We shall see how best this administration (our administration) can extend some patronage to the PWDs. This is a desirable goal to work for. And I want to assure you that with God helping, we would make sure that you feel some differences.
“However, I don’t want to be promising everybody something, we would try to see how governors can appoint you as board members and get at least one Commissioner. It will go a long way for you to know that we care.
“We would sit with the federal and the state level to see what we can do along the prayers that one of us in the course of the interventions would be allowed.
“Now there is also a preposition and I take that very seriously, if we do have a ministry of women affairs and youths. I think this Constituency is big enough,” he said.
Earlier, the APC National Leader of PWDs, Tolu Bankole, expressed his satisfaction with the evident, commitment to inclusivity and support for PWDs.
He also thanked Adamu for promptly providing free nomination forms to PWDs during the sales period.
Bankole highlighted the establishment of a Campaign Directorate dedicated to PWDs and the improved accessibility of the party’s secretariat, allowing PWDs to actively participate instead of being mere observers.
He said he had personally invested over N30 million in the past year to provide grants and empowerment opportunities to women and men across various PWDs clusters nationwide, fostering financial inclusion.
According to him, ”I awarded bursary and scholarships to PWDs students across the country while I paid for GCE forms of hundreds of SSS 3 students. Campaign mobilization grants and seasonal gifts during Islamic and Christian holidays were extended to zonal and state PWDs leaders nationwide. However, I must admit that your exemplary and sacrificial leadership has spurred me on despite the constraints.
“During the maiden PWDs National Summit which I self-sponsored at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, I made a rallying cry to everyone in a position of leadership that disability is never by choice, and nobody is immune. We are PWDs either by birth, negligence by our parents and guardians, accidents, war, age, disease, or epidemic. I am glad our chairman agrees with this truth.
”But they are dependable and committed to your leadership and the party at all times. I recommend this team of Zonal and State leaders for federal appointments in this administration of our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. We pledge our unalloyed loyalty and support to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR as he renews the hope of Nigerians.
“The APC PWDs National Leadership unanimously passed a vote of confidence on our National Chairman, Distinguished Senator Dr. Abdullahi Adamu, (CON) for his stellar and successful leadership and the members of the National Working Committee.”