THE EXECUTIVE Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), says data collection remains critical in achieving national action plan on disability inclusion.
Lalu disclosed this on Monday when he led members of the commission on a courtesy visit to the Statistician General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, in Abuja.
According to him, availability of accurate database will help policy makers to plan and implement policies that will strengthen the development of relevant disability inclusion programmes.
“Persons with Disabilities are highly educated and should be given their rightful place in the society,” Lalu said.
The NCPWD boss said the aim of the visit was to seek for partnership with the Statistician General towards finding an accurate database of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) across the country.
ALSO READ:
FEC Approves Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund
LASG Arraigns 2 Medical Doctors For Alleged Involuntary Manslaughter
TETFund Says It Spent N23bn On Research Projects
Pre-Retirement Summit: 500 Prospective Retirees To Benefit From Skill Acquisition Training
According to him, this will help the commission to come up with a unique and effective data for the development of the Federal Government’s national action plan on disability inclusion.
“The act of developing, analysing and presenting data that was collected is central in national building, as such, the figures of PWDs in various fields of endeavours are critical to Nigeria’s development.
“It is on these note we need your assistance in mapping out our Data to ensure that we are captured in the scheme of things, especially in employment and education of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.”
He reiterated the position of NCPWD on the provisions of the Disability Act 2018, which makes a case for 5 per cent employment quota for PWDs.
Lalu pledged to support organisations in their bid to restructure their facilities to conform with the requirements of accessibility laws.
Lalu therefore expressed optimism that NBS had all it would take to place the disability issues on the map.
The Statistician General of Nigeria, Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, who extolled the courage and commitment of the executive secretary, said the Bureau would support the commission to deliver its mandate.
Adeniran stressed that supporting the course of Persons With Disabilities was a humanitarian service, hence the need to fulfil the demands so made.
He commended the NCPWD for exhibiting professionalism in the discharge of its duties.
The Statistician General also expressed desire to work with the commission to ensure that accurate data of persons with disabilities were ascertained across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.
The meeting ended with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations as well as setting up of a 10-man technical working group to work out modalities for the proposed partnership (NAN)
