Osun State Commissioner for federal matters, Mrs Adenike Adeleke has stated that Governor Ademola Adeleke is totally committed to enhancement of the lives of persons with disabilities
Today 6th December, 2023, The Shehu Yar’adua Centre, Abuja was agog with notable dignitaries, such as the Hon Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs Betta Edu, H.E Sen Umaru Tanko Almakura, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disabilities, Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities, Australia Deputy High commissioner, British Deputy High Commissioner, Swedish Ambassador, the Executive Governor of Osun State ably represented by the Hon Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Osun State, Chief Mrs, Adenike Adeleke, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, amongst other dignitaries, all coming to together to celebrate International Day of Persons living with disability.
The international day of persons with disabilities, observed worldwide on December 3rd, brings together efforts to address the challenges and opportunities encountered by over 25% of the Global population. In Nigeria the number of person with disabilities is estimated to be around 35million, a figure that continues to rise due to conflicts, injuries, inadequate healthcare, accidents, and other contributing factors. Hinging on these, the Commission used the day to promote disability inclusivity, showcase the talent of PWDs and achievements of the commission.
While representing the Executive Governor, the Hon Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Chief Mrs Adenike Adeleke, enumerated the contributions of His Excellency to PWDs in Osun State, beginning from the inclusion of a reasonable number of persons into the Governor’s Youth Advisory Committee in Osun State even before he was inaugurated as Governor of the State. And after his inauguration, he also doled out several accessibility devices, aids, and relief materials to thousands of PWDs through the recognized body for PWD in the state, JONAPWD.
The Hon Commissioner also noted that the State House of Assembly is at the verge of passing into Law, the Persons With Disabilities bill which has passed the first and second reading at the State Assembly, and is a major step toward securing federal government funding and allocations for PWDs in Osun State.
The Hon Minister for Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Betta Edu, in her speech during the event appreciated the Federal Government and the National Assembly for the support in passing the bill into law and creating a budget for the PWD, the Hon Minister also presented several accessibility devices and relief materials to persons with disabilities present at the event.
The Minister further stated that task force agents would begin to go around all public centres to ensure compliance of all Event Centre in creating and installing facilities to aid the usage of PWDs at such centres.
In a close door session with Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the Hon Commissioner for Federal Affairs assured the Executive Secretary of the commission that the disability bill will be passed into law and made operational in Osun State and that the Ministry of Federal affairs in Osun State would serve as an intermediary between the commission at the Federal level and the State Government to enable smooth implementation of all activities of the commission in the state.
