The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has empowered youths and women with disabilities in Akwa Ibom State, reaffirming its commitment to greater inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, in its development programmes.
The empowerment outreach, held in Uyo to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, was aimed at supporting youths and women with disabilities through skills development, advocacy, capacity building and access to economic opportunities.
Speaking at the programme, the NDDC Director, Akwa Ibom State Office, Engr. Evong Evong, said the Commission was committed to promoting inclusion, equality and improved livelihoods for PWDs and other underserved groups through partnerships and community-based initiatives.
Evong said disability should not prevent anyone from pursuing their dreams and goals, stressing that the initiative was designed to equip youths and women with disabilities with the knowledge, skills, resources and confidence needed to become economically independent and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, to promoting equal opportunities and creating sustainable pathways for youths and women with disabilities to participate fully in social and economic development.
Also speaking, the NDDC Director of Culture and Women Affairs, Mrs. Imoni Ahunna, emphasised the need for an inclusive society where PWDs have equal access to education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, employment and other opportunities.
Ahunna said the empowerment outreach was organised to strengthen the capacity of youths and women with disabilities while promoting inclusion, advocacy and access to opportunities.
She noted that the strength of a nation or region should also be measured by how effectively it carries vulnerable and underserved members of society along in its development process.
Ahunna commended the NDDC Board and Management for their efforts in advancing development across the Niger Delta and assured participants that concerns raised by disability stakeholders would be conveyed to the Commission’s management for consideration.
The Special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Government on Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Nene Bassey, thanked the NDDC for its continued support for PWDs in the state.
Bassey appealed to the Commission to provide more employment opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and ensure that PWDs can access its scholarship programmes without unnecessary barriers.
One of the beneficiaries, Godwin Effiong, expressed appreciation for the initiative, saying the training had helped him recognise his abilities despite living with a disability.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Helen Jeremiah, said the programme provided lessons that would help improve her livelihood while strengthening her confidence and ability to pursue greater economic opportunities.
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