By Leonard Okachie
The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), has requested a collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia, to promote disability-inclusive disaster management and climate change adaptation.
The group made the request during its advocacy visit to command’s headquarters in Umuahia on Thursday.
The Acting Director, CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, said that the request was to ensure that persons with disabilities (PWDs) were not left behind in climate change mitigation efforts.
He also requested the command to play an active role in promoting inclusive – disability disaster management.
Unumeri said that it was an advocacy brief on the outcome of the centre’s research report on inclusive-climate change mitigation and adaptation for PWDs in Abia.
He said that the report was conducted with support from the Disability Rights Fund.
Unumeri disclosed that the findings highlighted the urgent need for inclusive disaster management and climate change adaptation strategies.
He said the group’s key findings from its research identified several critical challenges that PWDs face when responding to climate change and disasters in the state.
Based on its findings, Unumeri said that the group had outlined several recommendations to improve the resilience of PWDs in the state in the face of climate change.
He, therefore, requested the collaboration of NSCDC in training PWDs on the impact of climate change and how they could mitigate its effects.
According to him, the training will help PWDs better understand the risks they face and equip them with the knowledge and skills to prepare for and respond to climate-related hazards.
Unumeri also requested collaboration in training and sensitisation for NSCDC personnel, public awareness campaigns and advocacy for budgetary provisions for PWDs.
“The impact of climate change on PWDs is a crucial issue that requires urgent attention and action.
“Together, we can build a more inclusive resilient and equitable community that protects the rights and wellbeing of its members, regardless of their abilities,” he said.
Also, Mr Iroabuchi Alozie, the State Chairman of Persons with Physical Disabilities, called for collaboration between the civil society organisations, state and non state actors for the implementation of the disability law in the state.
Alozie, who commended NSCDC for creating a Desk Officer for PWDs, urged the command to provide ramp to make the building accessible to PWDs.
Responding, the NSCDC Commandant, Aderemi Akinsola, appreciated CCD for the advocacy visit and its research on disability-inclusive climate change adaptation and mitigation in the state.
Akinsola, who was represented by his Second-in-Command, Anthony Damisa, pledged the command’s collaboration with CCD, to carry PWDs along in its activities.
“Disaster management is a core mandate of NSCDC and whenever disaster occurs, people we target to evacuate first are the vulnerable groups, including the PWDs,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some leaders of the dsability clusters in the state were part of the advocy visit.(NAN)
