Abia Commission seeks inclusion of 400,000 PWDs in poverty alleviation programs

Chairman of the Disability Commission, Mr. David Anyaele

The Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons has called for a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to address the needs of over 400,000 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the state.

During a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix, the Chairman of the Disability Commission, Mr. David Anyaele, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two agencies to reduce poverty and eliminate barriers limiting PWDs. Anyaele noted that poverty and disability are closely linked, with one often causing the other, and stressed the need to design programs that empower PWDs and promote their inclusion in society.

“Any time you open the media space what you see and hear is poverty unleashed all over the place which indirectly means that the number of PWDs is increasing because poverty causes disability and disability causes poverty.

“We recognise that your ministry will be putting out measures through social safety programmes and engaging people in rural areas to alleviate them from poverty.

“We also understand that this will involve designing of different programmes be it recreational digital training, sharing of palliatives, either through cash transfer, grants, cooperative support, food supplies and other materials.

“This is why we are seeking partnership with your office to pull people with disability from poverty, reduce the impacts of disability, empower and enhance their inclusion.

“As the Chairman of the Disability Commission, it is part of our responsibility to build relationship with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure an inclusive government where no one is excluded by reason of disability,” he said.

Anyaele said that according to a report by the United Nations, Over 400,000 PWDs were in Abia state, which called for concern.

He said that there was need for all government institutes under the present administration of the state to factor PWDs into their policies, plans and programmes.

This, he said, would change the negative impact and societal impression that governments did not care for PWDs but only seeks to oppress, undermine, and unleash harmful practices against them in the State.

According to him, past governments excluded PWDs from their activities and treated them with charity but it is important that all government MDAs under this present administration to change these negative perceptions.

“Governor Alex Otti, in his policy statement made it explicitly clear that his government will ensure that PWDs are positioned to take leadership roles.

“He appointed a Special Assistant on PWDs to his office and established the Abia State Commission for the welfare of disabled persons where five members of the board were appointed.

“This has never happened in the history of Abia state and every stakeholder should contribute its quota to ensure that this government delivers on its mandates to the good people of the state,” he said.

He pleaded with the Ministry to create room for the commission to participate, share ideas and make inputs in its programmes.

This he said was the only way for the ministry to fully include PWDs in its programmes and ensure their inclusion in the society.

On her part, Mrs Ngozi Felix commended the initiative of the Chairman of the Disability Commission to share ideas and also explore possible ways of collaboration with the Ministry.

Felix said that plans were already underway to ensure the inclusion of PWDs in all the ministries programmes and the visit was timely as their budget was been prepared.

“The Ministry of poverty alleviation and social protection oversees the welfare and management of all vulnerable groups in Abia state especially persons with disabilities.

“We know there is a huge number of PWDs from across the different clusters and in line with the mandate of the governor, we do not discriminate against PWDs even in our policies.

“We understand that disability does not mean inability to contribute but the ability to contribute differently to the development of the society.

“We know that in the last 24 years different past administration had excluded PWDs especially from physical infrastructure, but we are making efforts to ensure a system that would include the over 400,000 Abians.

“PWDs contribute largely to the political space of this state and we cannot afford to exclude them from our plans and programmes,” she said.

Felix said that the office of the wife of the governor was also working to ensure that women and girls with disabilities were included in all programmes.

According to her, since the inception of the present administration, the wife of the governor has rolled out programmes that empowered women with disabilities.

“Out of 102 persons who got empowered by the governor’s wife, one-third were PWDs and 34 persons with disabilities have received empowerment.

“Also during the state charity day hospitals bills were paid for PWDs and more programmes are still been planned with PWDs included.

“We are going to be having the International Day of Older Persons next month and we’re already in the planning process.

“Out of the number of persons we are drawing from each LGA, one-third are elderly persons with disabilities and this is deliberate.

“We know these persons are very critical so in all of our programmes whether for the girl-child, for widows, for the elderly persons, for farmers, market women, religious and traditional groups, we ensure PWDs are prioritised in every social provision and protection programme.

“We are now in the process of budgeting and planning for 2025 fiscal year and programmes are being formulated for the benefits of PWDs and we welcome inputs from the Commission,” she said.

The Commissioner noted that though the Disability Commission had its own budget, however it would accommodate plans and programmes in the Ministry’s budget and ensured its approval for the benefits of PWDs.

She urged the Commission not to hesitate to contact the Ministry for assistance and support when necessary.

“However, we would ensure that PWDs occupy strategic positions in our programmes,” she said.