By Leonard Okachie
The Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons has organised a training workshop to strengthen the capacity of the council chairmen on the implementation of the Disability Law and disability inclusive governance.
The training, which held in Umuahia, was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme Phase II.
It was funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the commission, Mr David Anyaele, said the objective of the training was to enhance the capacity of the council chairmen to make informed, data-driven decisions that benefit the disability community.
Anyaele, who is also the Special Assistant to the Governor on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), also said that the training was designed to build the capacity of the chairmen to develop, implement, and monitor policies and programmes that benefit the disability community.
He said that the workshop was in line with the mandate of Gov. Alex Otti, regarding the inclusion and participation of PWDs in leadership across all segments of government.
“This is the first of its kind in Nigeria, where council chairmen are being led to understand how to mainstream disability issues in their response to their LGAs.
“Now that we have shared the knowledge, we are hoping that they will be able to translate this to action by ensuring that their budget is disability-friendly,” Anyaele said.
He also delivered lecture on “Disability Rights and Models, Disability Laws in Nigeria and Disability Inclusive Budget.
In a speech, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, called on the chairmen and council officials to work together to raise awareness, build capacity, and ensure that the local governments were havens of inclusivity and opportunity.
Otti, represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Adaeze Emetu, also said that they should allow their leaderships to be marked by inclusivity, empathy, and a deep commitment to the rights and dignity of PWDs.
She said: “The challenges are clear: Low awareness, weak institutional capacity, and the absence of disability-inclusive budgeting have hindered progress.
“Many of our local government institutions remain unaware of their statutory obligations, and as a result, PWDs continue to be marginalised in policy development and service delivery.
“As we move forward, let us remember that disability-inclusive governance is not a specialised issue. It is a fundamental aspect of good governance.”
Also, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Felix, informed the council chairmen that disability law placed a direct and significant responsibility on their shoulders, as the closest tier of government to the people.
Felix, represented by the ministry’s Technical Assistant on Donor Funded Programmes, Mr Obinna Uzuegbu, said that the workshop was designed to equip the chairmen with the knowledge, tools and understanding, necessary to champion disability inclusion in their respective LGAs.
In a remark on behalf of other participants, the Chairman of Ikwuano LGA, Dr Anthony Nwaubani, commended the organisers of the workshop, saying that it had deepened their knowledge about disability inclusion.
“This programme is an eye opener because we have learnt some other things that we may want to go back and reflect on in our arrangements, structures and facilities in our LGA to make provisions for the PWDs,” Nwaubani said.
(NAN)
