Govt urged to create enabling environment for people with disabilities

People living with disabilities have urged government to look beyond cash empowerment and create an enabling environment for them to fulfil their potentials.

Some of the people with disabilities spoke during a stakeholders’ workshop on social protection strategic framework for victims organised by Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) in Abuja.

One of them, Idemudia Edelifo Lawrence, said there was need for government to create an enabling environment for them so that they could realise their potentials instead of giving them money.

He said despite their disabilities they are endowed with great potentials which were usually overlooked by many people.

In her address, the president and cofounder of KIND, Hafsat Abiola Costello said people living with disabilities should be allowed to participate in governance and elections just like other Nigerians.

“They should be allowed to run for office. They have the use of their brain and ability to think and if you don’t allow them to participate, all the ideas they have will not be used to the benefit of the society,” she said.

She said the workshop themed, ‘Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities in Social Protection Intervention Programmes in Nigeria’, was organised to validate the research findings and analysis conducted by following consultations with disabilities.

“We have come up with a report that we want to present to the body and ask them what is still missing and what we can do better.

“This framework, after the workshop, will be presented to government at all levels to adopt new policies that will benefit people living with disabilities,” she said.

The workshop was attended by the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment Programme, Mrs Maryam Uwais and other government officials from the Ministry of Women Affairs and office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Disability Matters. the with group people