By Lanre Oloyede
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, and his counterpart on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Delu Bulus Yakubu, have engaged and mobilized the disability community in Adamawa State to galvanize support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, while advancing disability inclusion, empowerment and equal opportunities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The presidential aides made the call in Yola during a two-day engagement and stakeholders’ consultation with the disability community in the state.
The engagement featured town hall meetings and consultations with representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities, traditional and religious institutions, political leaders, civil society organisations, support groups and other critical stakeholders, before the officials addressed a press conference.
During the town hall engagement, stakeholders raised concerns over the failure of the Adamawa State Government to assent to the state Disability Bill, describing the development as a major setback to disability inclusion and the effective implementation of programmes for persons with disabilities in the state.
The stakeholders noted that Adamawa remains the only state in the North-East yet to sign and domesticate the Disability Law, a situation they said had affected implementation and contributed to the state losing out on several interventions, opportunities and other benefits available to persons with disabilities. They maintained that the delay had also limited the state’s alignment with the disability inclusion objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Responding to the concern, Abba Isa called on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to assent to the Disability Bill without further delay, stressing that doing so would strengthen the legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and open the way for more effective implementation of inclusive programmes and interventions in Adamawa State.
Speaking at the press briefing, Abba Isa said the visit was designed to promote dialogue, information sharing, accountability and renewed partnership on issues affecting persons with disabilities.
He said his office was committed to ensuring that the voices, concerns and aspirations of persons with disabilities remained firmly within the policy and development agenda of the Federal Government.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has continued to place inclusion, social protection, economic empowerment and equal opportunities within the framework of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abba Isa stressed that persons with disabilities should not be regarded as objects of charity, but as citizens with rights, talents, skills and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening programmes designed to improve access to social interventions, economic empowerment, skills development, employment opportunities and participation in governance and public life.
The presidential aide also commended the Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, for what he described as his administration’s commendable efforts toward disability inclusion, empowerment and economic development of persons with disabilities in the state.
He said the efforts of the state government had not gone unnoticed at the Federal level, adding that President Tinubu was aware of and acknowledged the work being done by Governor Fintiri to promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
According to Abba Isa, the President recognises such interventions as being consistent with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind in the country’s development process.
He therefore urged the Adamawa State Government to sustain and deepen its interventions for persons with disabilities.
On economic empowerment, Abba Isa said the Federal Government was promoting initiatives aimed at moving persons with disabilities from dependency to economic participation.
He said the objective was to create opportunities for persons with disabilities to acquire skills, establish businesses, access productive assets, secure employment and contribute to the development of their families and communities.
He further called for the mainstreaming of disability into social intervention and empowerment programmes, stressing that accurate data, effective coordination and transparent implementation were essential to ensuring that eligible persons with disabilities were not left behind.
The SSA also called for stronger support from government authorities and other stakeholders for improved accessibility, employment, education, healthcare, transportation, social protection and inclusive economic opportunities.
He reiterated the principle that nothing about persons with disabilities should be done without meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations.
Abba Isa said his office would continue to collaborate with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, organisations of persons with disabilities, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to promote the effective implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
He added that the immediate priority was to ensure that stakeholder engagements translated into practical actions, partnerships and measurable outcomes rather than ending with speeches and photographs.
Delu Yakubu Urges Support for Tinubu
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Delu Bulus Yakubu, urged the disability community in Adamawa State to continue supporting the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to enable the Federal Government to sustain the delivery of the dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Yakubu said the administration remained committed to addressing poverty and expanding opportunities for vulnerable Nigerians, including persons with disabilities. She encouraged the disability community to remain actively engaged with government programmes and provide constructive feedback that would help improve the impact of interventions at the grassroots.
She also emphasised the importance of unity among persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, noting that stronger coordination and constructive engagement with government would help ensure that the needs of the community were properly identified and addressed.
She assured stakeholders that the Federal Government would continue to work with state governments, disability organisations and other partners to promote social protection, empowerment and equal opportunities, while encouraging the Adamawa disability community to take advantage of available programmes and remain partners in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The two-day engagement concluded with renewed calls for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, Adamawa State Government and the disability community to deepen inclusion, empowerment and equal participation in the state and across Nigeria.
