The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has successfully organised a two-day capacity-building workshop in Abia State aimed at strengthening advocacy skills among persons with disabilities in oil-producing communities. The training, held under its “Ending Barriers Against Niger-Deltans with Disabilities” project, brought together participants from Ukwa West and Ukwa East, alongside cluster heads, to promote inclusion in the benefit structures of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Welcoming participants, the Acting Director of CCD, Godwin Unumeri, highlighted the significance of the workshop in addressing the persistent exclusion of persons with disabilities from community decision-making processes and benefit-sharing frameworks. He stressed the need for greater awareness and active participation to ensure inclusivity in development initiatives.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Abia State Chapter, Wisdom Okechukwu, commended CCD for its continued commitment to disability inclusion. He urged participants to make effective use of the knowledge gained and to replicate the learning within their communities.
In his remarks, the Founder of CCD, David Anyaele, reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to empowering persons with disabilities with the tools and knowledge needed to advocate for their rights and engage relevant stakeholders effectively. Over the course of the training, participants acquired practical knowledge on advocacy strategies, disability rights, and the PIA framework, including how to engage stakeholders and push for inclusion in the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) structures.
Participants from Ukwa West and Ukwa East expressed readiness to apply the skills and legal knowledge gained to demand their rights and ensure their inclusion in community development processes. They also pledged to step down the training, strengthen collaboration, and amplify their voices.
The workshop marks a significant step toward building an informed, empowered, and united disability community in Abia State and the Niger Delta, capable of driving inclusive development and ensuring that no one is left behind.
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