Abuja: FCTA Targets Inclusiveness, To Prioritize Needs Of Persons With Disabilities

In a bid to make Abuja an inclusive city, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has pledged to prioritize the needs of persons with disabilities residing in the federal capital.

The Minister of FCT, Muhammad Bello, said the FCTA will domesticate certain aspects of the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act so as to promote the independence of persons with disabilities in Abuja.

Bello stated this when he received James David Lalu, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), at his office in Abuja.

Lalu had said that persons with disabilities in the FCT were finding unaided movement challenging especially in crossing the roads.

The minister pledged the FCTA’s support toward helping the commission fulfil its mandate of caring for the 31.5 million Nigerians living with disabilities.

He said, “the Federal Capital Territory Administration is part of the federal government. So, considering fact that the Bill on persons with disabilities has been signed by Mr President, I assure you that the FCT Administration will follow the procedure as quickly as possible and domesticate it here in the FCT and we will see specific aspects of the Act that we need to make sure we honour and follow”.

Lalu, in his remarks, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Bill into law and the establishment of the commission.