The Nigerian House of Representatives has called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to create a stand-alone status for Persons With Disabilities in every programme of the Ministry.
The House also called for a Review of the National Social Register to accommodate Persons With Disability.
This was sequel to the adoption of a Motion On the Urgent Need For Specific Recognition Of Persons With Disabilities In Poverty Alleviation Program Under Order 8, Rule 4, House Of Representatives Rules.
The motion was sponsored by Hon. Bashiru Ayinla Dawodu who noted that Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018 was assented into law by former President Muhammed Buhari in 2019.
The motion: “Also notes that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the instrument of Ratification of the protocol to the African charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disability in Africa on 19 October, 2023.
“Further notes that the Federal Executive Council has approved the creation of a Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund of $5Billion annually.
“Disturbed that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation’s, recently launched “Renewal Hope Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) without set aside for Persons With Disability violated the Disability Act 2018. This program involves the transfer of N1Trillion at N25,000 to 15 million households.
“Also disturbed that most poverty alleviation carried out by most state Governments excluded the peoples with Disabilities.
“Further disturbed that failures to involve PWDs in the Poverty Alleviation programmes leads to persistent poverty and further widening the Socio-economic in equality in Nigeria.”
The House therefore resolved to call on all the state and local government in Nigeria to include Persons with Disabilities in every programme of the state.