The Federal Civil Service Staff with Disabilities Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society has initiated a pilot program to aid people with disabilities in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. If successful, this program will soon be extended to assist disabled people in the rest of the country. Nigeria is currently home to approximately 22 million people living with disabilities.
Recently, the Society provided the territory with relief materials and 8 million Nigerian Naira ($50,000) in aid . This assistance was provided with the intention of both teaching the disabled skills required to become self-sufficient and helping homeless people with disabilities get off the streets. Of the money given to this program, 5 million Naira will go to pay for housing costs and school fees for children while the remaining 3 million will be used for training and empowerment.
“We are just kick starting the programme here in Abuja, then we will move to the 36 states of the federation…We also have officers in place to monitor the distribution of the items and to ensure that the beneficiaries get them…We have programmes for PWD and the widows every Thursday…Some people submitted letters that they cannot pay their children’s school fees; some can’t pay for their house rents, while some have no food in the house and many more other problems. We are taking care of these needs” explained Alhaji Iliasu Abdul-Rauf, the National Coordinating Chairman of the Federal Civil Service staff with Disabilities Multi-purpose Cooperative Society.
This program comes soon after the government of Nigeria announced its hopes of soon passing the Disability Act and establishing a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to enforce it. The government has worked together with local and international organizations working with disabled persons to develop appropriate policies and programs to provide needed protection and assistance.
“In order to strengthen our commitment to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities…which we have ratified, the National Assembly is working assiduously to ensure the passage of the Nigerian Disability Bill into law. When passed into law, it will provide for the education, health care and the protection of the social, economic, political and civil rights of persons with disabilities” explained Dr. Habiba Lawal, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Womens Affairs and Social Development.
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Written by Amanda Lubit