Presidential Aide Abba Isa, WOSSA to Collaborate on Inclusion, Empowerment of Widows and Orphans
By Lanre Oloyede
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, on Friday received the executive members of the Widows & Orphans Support Society of Africa (WOSSA), led by its Chairman, Amb. (Dr.) Tayo Thomas, during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities and WOSSA, particularly in the areas of inclusion and empowerment of widows and orphans, especially those living with disabilities.
Speaking during the visit, Amb. (Dr.) Tayo Thomas said WOSSA has continued to provide care and support for widows and orphaned children across Nigeria through various intervention programmes.
According to him, the organisation has carried out several skill acquisition programmes for widows and underprivileged women, while also implementing educational support initiatives aimed at returning out-of-school children back to the classroom.
“As we speak, we do a lot of skill acquisition trainings for widows and less privileged women across Nigeria. We also have a programme called Back-to-School Scheme for people who are out of school, especially in parts of Northern Nigeria affected by different challenges. We have been able to bring thousands of them back to school,” he said.
He further disclosed that WOSSA has existing collaborations with UN Women and expressed the organisation’s readiness to partner with the office of the presidential aide to expand its impact.
“We want to do more, and that is why we have come to seek collaboration and partnership with the office of the SSA,” he added.
Also speaking, Barr. Clara Ndive, Executive Director, Projects and Execution, congratulated Hon. Abba Isa on his appointment and commended him for what she described as his impactful leadership and commitment to disability inclusion.
She noted that findings from the organisation’s data analysis revealed that widows and orphans with disabilities remain among the most vulnerable groups in society, thereby necessitating stronger collaboration with the office of the SSA.
“I have been reading about him, but now I am privileged to meet him one-on-one. Our data analysis has shown that widows and orphans with disabilities are among the most vulnerable in society, and this is one of the major reasons for this partnership,” she said.
Barr. Ndive further hinted that WOSSA would soon submit a formal proposal detailing areas of collaboration and partnership with the office.
She also disclosed that the organisation would be collaborating with UN Women to commemorate the forthcoming United Nations International Widows Day and expressed the desire to involve the office of the SSA in the event.
Members of the WOSSA delegation included Dr. Tayo Thomas, Chairman; Barr. Clara Ndive, Executive Director, Projects and Execution; Hajia Aisha Dongmi Menshin, Executive Director, Protocol and Public Relations; and Pastor Glory Peter, Executive Assistant to the Chairman.
In his remarks, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa welcomed the delegation and commended WOSSA for its humanitarian interventions and commitment to supporting vulnerable groups in society.
He stated that the organisation’s activities align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the area of social inclusion and support for vulnerable Nigerians.
“What WOSSA is doing aligns perfectly with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made deliberate efforts to cushion the effects of hardship and challenges facing widows, orphans, the elderly and other vulnerable groups. That is one of the reasons this office was created,” he said.
The presidential aide noted that women with disabilities continue to face various forms of exclusion and discrimination, stressing the need for deliberate inclusion in government interventions and development programmes.
“Women with disabilities face enormous exclusion in society. They must be included in all government interventions and development initiatives,” he added.
Hon. Abba Isa also assured the organisation of the office’s readiness to collaborate and support its programmes through strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement.
Although he noted that the office does not currently have direct budgetary allocations for project execution, he emphasized that it remains committed to leveraging its goodwill and institutional network to attract partners and sponsors for impactful initiatives.
“The office is open to collaborations and partnerships. While we may not have direct budgetary allocation for projects, we are ready to support WOSSA initiatives by leveraging on the goodwill and influence of the office to attract support and partnerships,” he stated.
