Federal Government inaugurates parliament for PWDS
• Urged to establish commission for them • Oyetola opens braille press centre
I Ncelebration of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities (PWD) yesterday, the Federal Government has inaugurated Parliament of PWDS in Abuja.
Following an election of principal officers, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, inaugurated a 12member People’s Parliament for PWDS.
This is to awaken the consciousness of the country, as with the United Nations’ agenda on member-countries, towards encouraging and promoting activities that will bring issues of disability to the front burner of national and international discourse.
The minister identified disability as a right, a development issue and a cross-cutting phenomenon, which as evidenced in its prioritisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) 16.
Senator Osita Izunaso, whose non-governmental organisation (NGO) had reportedly supported PWDS and the lessprivileged for about 15 years, called on Nigerians to adopt at least one PWD for support and encouragement.
He said that he had adopted 300 PWDS who he preferred as Persons with Special Needs.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has lamented that 11 months after President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed the law on discrimination against PWDS, only few states have implemented it.
The executive director,
David Anyaele, however, urged the president to direct states to implement the act, saying that physically-challenged persons in the country were citizens and entitled to the provisions of socio-economic facilities provided by government.
His words, “We are concerned that 11 months after the passage of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to establish the National Commission on Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).
Aof baton is imminent at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) as President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday recommended the appointment of Zikrullah Hassan for confirmation by the Senate.
Hassan will replace Abdullah Muktar whose tenure as NAHCON chairman expired last May. Olakunle, a lawyer, was the former Amir-ul–hajj (chairman) of Osun Pilgrims’ Welfare Board.
Buhari had, in May, extended the tenure of the NAHCON board members under the chairmanship of Muktar by six months, at the expiration of their second tenure of office.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, read the letter dated November 28, 2019, yesterday at the commencement of plenary.