The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has strengthened the capacity of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Rivers State through a two-day workshop focused on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and advocacy tools under its Ending Barriers Against Niger-Deltans with Disabilities (EBAND) project.
The workshop brought together persons with disabilities from oil-producing communities, government representatives, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and media practitioners to enhance advocacy skills and promote the inclusion of PWDs in the benefit structures created under the PIA.
In his opening remarks, the Founding Executive Director of CCD and Chairman of the Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons, David Obinna Anyaele, stressed the need to dismantle barriers affecting persons with disabilities across the Niger Delta region. He noted that political and governance challenges in Rivers State have continued to limit opportunities for PWDs to engage decision-makers and advocate for their rights.
According to him, the Petroleum Industry Act provides important opportunities for inclusion through structures such as the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs), Boards of Trustees, Advisory Committees, and community needs assessment processes. However, he observed that persons with disabilities remain largely excluded from these structures.
Hon. Anyaele explained that the workshop was designed to equip participants with knowledge, leadership capacity, and advocacy skills needed to effectively engage stakeholders and demand inclusion within PIA structures. He also shared success stories from Akwa Ibom and Imo states, where sustained advocacy supported by CCD led to improved representation and empowerment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Rivers State Chapter, Collins Akpanah, commended CCD for creating opportunities for PWDs to better understand the Petroleum Industry Act and issues affecting oil-producing communities. He noted that persons with disabilities are often excluded from decision-making processes despite being directly affected by developments within host communities.
The workshop featured sessions on disability rights, environmental challenges in the Niger Delta, advocacy planning, stakeholder engagement, leadership development, inclusive budgeting, and practical strategies for integrating disability concerns into community development plans.
Participants also engaged in role-play exercises and practical discussions on how to engage traditional rulers, community leaders, government institutions, and oil companies to secure representation for PWDs within Host Community Development Trusts and other governance structures.
At the end of the training, participants expressed renewed commitment to advancing disability inclusion within their communities. They pledged to step down the knowledge gained to other members of the disability community and intensify advocacy efforts to ensure persons with disabilities are fully included in decision-making and benefit-sharing processes under the Petroleum Industry Act.
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