The National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) has unveiled its five years strategic plan (2023 to 2027) as well as pledged its commitment to the scholarship programme for Persons With Disabilities(PWD) in various institutions in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, James Lalu, disclosed this in Abuja at a one-day stakeholders meeting of Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI) to commemorate the 2023 International day of persons with disability.
Lalu also announced the launch of the commission’s quarterly newsletter and presentation of the outcome of stakeholders’ engagement in Ebonyi, Kwara and Enugu states.
The Executive Secretary also explained that the empowerment programme of the commission would also be expanded and that persons with disability will also collect the student loan promised by President Bola Tinubu.
“NCPWD is committed to quality education, scholarship that many of the disabled persons will soon be going for their masters programme as well as their PHDs.”
Lalu, who commended the provision of the Law for persons with disability, also said that a lot of possible and positive things will happen to persons with disability in 2024.
“Our commitment with persons with disability is total, 2024 is going to be a year where everything must change for the commission.
“We are aware of the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to all the programmes of disabled persons in in, the President is committed to eradicating poverty in Nigeria, 10 per cent of his commitment is already allocated to persons with disabilities.
“2024 is going to be a year of maximum benefit for persons with disabilities. A year of renewed hope, a year of commitment, we look forward to collaborating with VDI and other organisations for the benefit of people with disability in Nigeria,” he said.
He also congratulated the management of VDI for where it is today, saying that he was aware when the organisation started small from cradle to where it is today.
“NCPWD has already started seeing the impact of VDI, and pledged his optimism to work together with VDI for the overall benefit of persons with disability.” He said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of VDI, Catherine Edeh, who narrated how she started small with VDI in 2014 after her NYSC, disclosed that she was encouraged to push further even when she confronted many challenges as a disabled person.
According to her, some people at the event were instrumental to her when VDI started in 2014, recalling her ordeal at her first rejection as a disability person at the National Assembly when she wanted to do her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“There is no height one cannot attain with determination, resilience and hard work, and I am the type that doesn’t believe in “No” for an answer as a disabled person.
“I don’t believe in the word ” No” my spirit does not go in line with that, when I was rejected at the National Assembly to do my NYSC, I was told people with disabilities are troublesome but I insist I will serve there whether they like it or not.
“I have it in my mind that discrimination against persons with disabilities must stop, I ended up serving there and I served at the most active department in the National Assembly,” she stressed.
She thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for assigning it to persons with disability Act before leaving office.
Meanwhile, Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), VDI, Daniel Uwaezuoke stated that the unveiling of the VDI five years strategic plan was apt and wouldn’t have been done at a better time than now.
He said that presently, government and development partners are paying more attention to issues around inclusive plans and development, saying that the meeting was an opportunity for partners to learn more about VDI with a view to forging new partnership and collaboration agenda.
“It is with a high sense of gratitude that the Board of Trustees of VDI recounts the successes recorded through AMPLIFYCHANGE and NDI grants, especially the breakthrough in Enugu state which led to the signing of Enugu state disability rights bill into Law in March.
“As you can see, your money is working and as members of the board of trustees, we pledge to continue playing our oversight roles by ensuring that VDI remains accountable to its partners and members.”
Also, a member of the BOT, Chief Chijioke Nwafor, encouraged parents to accept every child with a disability challenge and not to discourage such a child, noting that there are abilities in disability.
He advised parents not to hide and not to pamper a child with disability, but to give such child training and support from the innermost part of the heart.
“Our aim as a parent is not to hide a child with disability, just give them the necessary support, you must find out the potential in disabled children, as we are here today, you have to give parents who have disabled children good thought that nothing is wrong with their child.
“If such a child turns into destitute in the future, it is the fault of the parents because they failed to identify the potential in the child’s disability,” he added.
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