The National President of Persons With Disability Initiative Nigeria, Mr Augustine Onwuamaegbu, on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to create a ministry for persons with disabilities.
Onwuamaegbu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, ahead of the World Day of Persons with Disability scheduled for December 3.
According to him, the proposed ministry would be able to address the plight of disabled persons in urban and rural areas in the country.
“Sometimes they say they have a department in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development but it is just rehabilitation.
“We need a ministry, a department, agencies so as to articulate programmes for the Person with Disabilities (PWDs),” Onwuamaegbu said.
He also said the proposed ministry would address some of the pressing challenges of PWDs in terms of housing, transportation and education.
Onwuamaegbu said in spite of the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and international conventions, the PWDs in the country are not considered with respect to construction of roads, highways and public buildings as well as other key public infrastructure.
However, he called for corporate sponsorship of PWDs in terms of empowerment, education and employment.
Onwuamaegbu said with recent economic recession, many PWDs were suffering in silence.
“Over the years, people go to seek sponsorship for those people among us who are less privileged, we give scholarships and empower them but with recession, we are yet to be funded.”
He advised PWDs not to give up on themselves but rather look for meaningful ventures to better their lives.
NAN reports that the International Day of People with Disability is a day that is being promoted by the UN since 1992.
The aim of Disability Day is to encourage a better understanding of people affected by disability.
“Together with helping to make people more aware of the rights, dignity and welfare of disabled people,” the UN said. (NAN)