Minister: 10% of social investment programmes will be set aside for PWDs

Sadiya Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, says 10 percent affirmation has been approved for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP).

Farouq said this on Tuesday at the inaugural meeting of the Nigeria Partnership for Disability Inclusive Development (NIPDID), organised by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in Abuja.

According to a statement by Rhoda Iliya, deputy director of Information, the minister, represented by Sani Gwarzo, permanent secretary of the ministry, said the administration is committed to improving the living standard for PWDs in Nigeria.

She said efforts are being made to regulate the implementation of an Act that allows PWDs physical access to buildings, adding that the government is committed to signing the African protocol on disability before the end of 2022.

The African disability protocol is a legal framework established for the member states of the African Union to develop laws and policies to improve the rights of PWDs in their countries.

“We will continue to respect and honour our commitment to all international treaties and committed to signing the African protocol on disability before the end of the year,” the statement reads.

“As mark of the commitment of the country, the minister approved 10% affirmation for disability inclusion in all the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP).

“She noted that the primary mandate of the commission is to coordinate and implement programmes and projects geared towards the improvement of the quality of life of the PWDs in Nigeria.

“The ministry is working towards empowering the commission to regulate and enforce the implementation of the Act including physical access to buildings and making it easy to people with disabilities.”

She called on all national and international bilateral and multi-lateral agencies in Nigeria to strengthen intervention on disability to 10 percent to improve the lives of PWDs.