The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, and his counterpart on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Delu Bulus Yakubu, have engaged the disability community in Adamawa State, seeking stronger support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election while advancing disability inclusion, empowerment and equal opportunities.
The presidential aides made the call in Yola during a two-day engagement and stakeholders’ consultation with persons with disabilities and other key stakeholders in the state.
The engagement featured town hall meetings and consultations with representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities, traditional and religious institutions, political leaders, civil society organisations, support groups and other stakeholders, culminating in a press conference.
At the town hall meeting, stakeholders raised concerns over the failure of the Adamawa State Government to assent to the state Disability Bill, describing the delay as a major setback to disability inclusion and the effective implementation of programmes for persons with disabilities.
They noted that Adamawa remained the only state in the North-East yet to sign and domesticate the Disability Law, arguing that the situation had affected the implementation of disability-focused programmes and contributed to the state losing out on some interventions and opportunities available to persons with disabilities.
The stakeholders also expressed concern that the delay had limited the state’s alignment with the disability inclusion objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
Responding to the concerns, Abba Isa called on the Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, to assent to the Disability Bill without further delay.
He said the enactment of the law would strengthen the legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and provide a stronger basis for implementing inclusive programmes and interventions across the state.
Speaking at the press briefing, Abba Isa said the visit was aimed at promoting dialogue, information sharing, accountability and renewed partnerships on issues affecting persons with disabilities.
He said his office remained committed to ensuring that the voices, concerns and aspirations of persons with disabilities were reflected in the policy and development agenda of the Federal Government.
According to him, the administration of President Tinubu has continued to prioritise inclusion, social protection, economic empowerment and equal opportunities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abba Isa stressed that persons with disabilities should not be viewed as objects of charity but as citizens with rights, talents, skills and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening programmes aimed at improving access to social interventions, economic empowerment, skills development, employment opportunities and participation in governance and public life.
The presidential aide also commended Governor Fintiri for what he described as his administration’s efforts toward disability inclusion, empowerment and economic development.
He said the state government’s interventions had not gone unnoticed at the Federal level, adding that President Tinubu was aware of and acknowledged efforts by the Adamawa Government to promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Abba Isa said such interventions were consistent with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind in the country’s development process.
He therefore urged the Adamawa State Government to sustain and deepen its interventions for persons with disabilities.
On economic empowerment, Abba Isa said the Federal Government was promoting initiatives designed to move persons with disabilities from dependency to active economic participation.
He explained that the objective was to create opportunities for persons with disabilities to acquire skills, establish businesses, access productive assets, secure employment and contribute to the development of their families and communities.
He also called for the mainstreaming of disability into social intervention and empowerment programmes, stressing that accurate data, effective coordination and transparent implementation were essential to ensuring that eligible persons with disabilities were not left behind.
The SSA further called for stronger support from government authorities and other stakeholders in the areas of accessibility, employment, education, healthcare, transportation, social protection and inclusive economic opportunities.
He reiterated the principle that nothing about persons with disabilities should be done without their meaningful consultation and participation, alongside that of their representative organisations.
Abba Isa said his office would continue to collaborate with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, organisations of persons with disabilities, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to promote the effective implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
He added that the priority was to ensure that stakeholder engagements translated into practical actions, partnerships and measurable outcomes rather than ending with speeches and photographs.
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Delu Bulus Yakubu, urged the disability community in Adamawa to continue supporting the administration of President Tinubu to enable the Federal Government to sustain the delivery of the dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Yakubu said the administration remained committed to tackling poverty and expanding opportunities for vulnerable Nigerians, including persons with disabilities.
She encouraged the disability community to remain actively engaged with government programmes and provide constructive feedback to improve the impact of interventions at the grassroots.
She also emphasised the importance of unity among persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, noting that stronger coordination and constructive engagement with government would help ensure that the needs of the community were properly identified and addressed.
Yakubu assured stakeholders that the Federal Government would continue to work with state governments, disability organisations and other partners to promote social protection, empowerment and equal opportunities.
She also encouraged the Adamawa disability community to take advantage of available government programmes and remain active partners in advancing the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The two-day engagement ended with calls for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, Adamawa State Government and the disability community to deepen inclusion, empowerment and equal participation of persons with disabilities in the state and across Nigeria.
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