The Disability cluster heads and FCTA team meeting on Monday
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed it’s decision to distribute Covid-19 relief material to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through their cluster heads.
Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu disclosed this during a meeting with Disability cluster heads and FCTA team ahead of the flag-off for the distribution of Palliatives.
The meeting held last Friday at the Arts & Culture Area 10, Abuja, had in attendance the Disability Community in FCT, represented by Lois Auta, Founder of Cedar Seed Foundation under the auspices of CSOs group.
Auta who spoke at the event, thanked the Minister for including PWDs on the list of beneficiaries and proposed for more engagement of the PWDs especially the leadership because of the peculiarity of the group.
As a follow up to her request, the FCTA proposed a meeting with her on Monday April 20 for further discussion.
Auta, however, ensured that invitation was extended to the leadership of Disability Community in FCT, while also informing all the head of clusters to be part of the meeting.
At the meeting on Monday, the head of clusters in the disability community met with Madam Jummai, one of the Directors in FCTA and together, the head of clusters alongside Lois submitted several recommendations:
They proposed that since the Clusters know their people, where they are and also an up to date database, they should give them what belongs to them so they can distribute alongside FCTA staff and volunteers.
The also recommended that since the Minister said the palliative will be shared via representatives and they are the representatives of PWDs, they should be accompanied by security personnel and journalists.
They also reminded that PWD is a special group and hence should be treated with care and inclusivity mindset.
Jummai in her response promised to take the group’s messages to the Minister and revert.
She also assured that she will present PWDs database so that their team can locate those they have not reached yet.
She also informed that their team, who are already doing the distribution should hold on for now to hear from the Minister before they proceed.
All the cluster groups were represented at the meeting by Abdulmumuni Ujah (Deaf), Obinna Ekujereonye (blind), Mr. Aliyu (people affected with Hansen diseases (leprosy), Dr Jake Epelle( people with Albinism) and Abubakar Sharhu (physical disability).
On Tuesday, Jummai reverted to Auta informing her that the Minister has accepted that the team will distribute palliative to the PWDs in FCT in company of the cluster heads.