Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has listed achievements made by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari toward a better life for physically challenged Nigerians.
Farouq spoke at a press briefing to mark the 2019 International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), on Monday in Abuja.
She said that Dec. 3 of every year was declared International Day of PWDs by the UN General Assembly following Resolution 43/3 of 14th October 1992.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Promoting the participation of PWDs and their leadership: Taking action on the 2030 Development Agenda”.
“The country has achieved a great feat by signing and assenting to the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition), Act 2018 by Mr President. This was done after 18 years of a long struggle.
“The ministry participated at the 2nd World Disability Summit and 12th Session of Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Right of PWDs at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“These fora provided platforms for sharing experience/lessons learnt and building network on issues of disability worldwide, and strategies for tackling identified challenges were shared among nations.
“The ministry equally participated in an international training course of Empowering PWDs and Special needs.
“The Ministry was able to reopen the Nigeria Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, Lagos for admission of trainees, after two years of closure.
“Forty trainees are at the point of concluding their training at the centre which was renovated with support from the Government of Japan,” she said.
She emphasised that the Federal Government, through the ministry, had supported PWDs on an annual basis with various forms of devices and economic empowerment materials.
Farouq hinted that step-down training was also conducted for teachers and caregivers of children with special needs.
“I wish to restate that we all must join hands, especially in line with this year’s theme, to promote the participation of PWDs and their leadership, leveraging on the 17 goals of the 2030 Development Agenda,” she said.