The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has announced that the Federal Government has set aside 10 per cent of its various social interventions to support Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Nigeria.
Dr. Edu made this known during the inauguration of various empowerment programs sponsored by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in Abuja.
She revealed that President Bola Tinubu directed the prioritization of the disability community in all government intervention programs.
“Mr. President has instructed that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation should allocate 10 per cent of all humanitarian and poverty alleviation interventions to persons with disabilities across the country,” she stated.
She further emphasized, “Today marks the launch of the empowerment of people living with disabilities. Out of the conditional cash transfers for 15 million households, 10 per cent is reserved for the disability community.
“We are also providing Point of Sale (POS) machines to persons with disabilities across all the senatorial districts in Nigeria so that they can be the last mile distributors of these funds to people living in villages and hard-to-reach areas,” she added.
The minister also announced the donation of N100,000 to each beneficiary of the POS machines to help them kick start their businesses. Additionally, N130,000 was granted as a scholarship award to physically challenged students in tertiary institutions.
Furthermore, the Ministry facilitated the proper registration of businesses for the beneficiaries through officials of the Corporate Affairs Commission, with N20 million already released for this purpose.
Dr. Edu reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the educational needs of all Nigerians, including persons with disabilities.
James Lalu, the Executive Secretary of the NCPWD, expressed that the gesture aims to empower the disability community in Nigeria to become economically self-reliant. He commended the Tinubu-led administration for its support and urged the minister to sustain the momentum.
Bashiru Dauda, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities, affirmed commitment to ensuring an effective legal framework to protect the rights of PwDs in Nigeria.
“Disability issues are all about inclusion, and we have already enacted a law that mandates institutions and organisations to allocate five per cent employment opportunities to persons with disabilities,” he said.
Ruth Ofomo, the representative from the Bank of Industry (BOI), announced the provision of a N10 million micro credit to small-scale businesses, emphasizing that the loan should be accessible without any form of discrimination.
Abba Isa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, emphasized the need for stakeholders to support efforts to ensure the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in governance and other social interventions.
The event also featured the presentation of scholarship awards to some students living with disabilities, and beneficiaries were given POS start-up funds and kits.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and vowed to utilize the opportunity to improve their lives.
