The minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, FMHADMSD, Sadiya Umar Farouq, says Federal Government has made significant progress in tackling challenges confronting Persons With Disability, PWD in Nigeria.
Farouq who spoke at the graduation/closing ceremony of skills acquisition training for women and girls with disabilities and caregivers of children with disabilities, on Tuesday, also presented the sum of N100,000.00 grant to the 28 graduates.
The minister, represented by Director Special Needs, Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe, explained that women and girls with disabilities are at risk as a result of double burden. They have to deal with being women and also living with disabilities.
She further stated that there are evidence which points that PWD, especially women and girls with disabilities, are disproportionately affected by these unpleasant economic and developmental indicators.
Farouq therefore through the Ministry’s Special Needs Department organized the training to achieve objectives of skills in specific trade area, build entrepreneurial skills to make them employable.
Speaking on the programmes and and activities carried out to mitigate the effects of challenges on PWD she said, “Recommendation of PWDs for employment in the public Service, Procurement and distribution of Assistive Devices; Enactment of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and subsequent establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and appointment of its Board Members and Executive Secretary respectively.”
“Formulation of policy documents, Updating of the National Social Register to include PWDs, Vocational skills acquisition training such as the one we are rounding-off today, among others,” She added.
The training is a pilot phase and will be replicated nationwide.
While commending the Ministry for facilitating the training, Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disability, James Lalu who was represented by Lawrence Idemudia, Director Social Integration, expressed hope that the training will address the challenge of employability of the participants as they seek implementation of 5% job opportunities in their various sectors.
Also Speaking, Area Manager, Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Area office, Abuja, Hauwa Mohammed, charged the graduates to ensure they become employers of labour, adding that they have been equipped to do so.