Town Hall Meeting: TAF Africa, CBM International Partner, Call For Inclusion Of Persons With Disabilities
*Urged Delta State government to implement 5% rights of PWDs
By Godscaring Tejiri & Praise Overirayen (I.T Students)
DELTA — The All-right Foundation (TAF) Africa, in partnership with Christian Blind Mission International (CBM), organised a town hall meeting for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and community leaders and stakeholders, urging the Delta State government to implement the five per cent (5%) slots approved for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) by the federal government.
Speaking at the town hall meeting held at De-Mix Hotel, Ughelli, Mr Innocent Munemichi of Christian Blind Mission International said accessibility is a fundamental right that must apply to public places, offices, churches, mosques, hotels, and universities.
Accordingly, the town hall meeting focused on rights, accessibility, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Munemichi noted that Nigerian law recognises the right of persons with disabilities to inclusive education rather than segregated schools.
He criticised the continued existence of inaccessible institutions and separate facilities, arguing that true inclusion requires disabled and non disabled students to learn together, saying the same principle applies to employment, where vocational training is being used to help beneficiaries gain economic independence.
He condemned the use of derogatory names and labels for people with disabilities, describing them as acts of discrimination, and added that existing laws prohibit and punish the offenders.
He urged participants to report violations so that perpetrators can be held accountable and similar incidents prevented.
Munemichi called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, local government chairmen, teachers and other community figures to engage PWDs actively.
He urged the Delta State government to appoint special advisers for people with disabilities at the state and local government level.
Meanwhile, participants expressed appreciation for the training and enlightenment received over the past year of the project.
The gathering underscored a clear message: accessibility and inclusion are not optional. They are rights that must be realised in every public space, school, workplace and community institution.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator of TAF Africa, Otai Muhammed, said the programme was designed primarily to educate persons with disabilities and the wider public about the provisions of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and the rights guaranteed under the law.
Muhammed said despite the existence of the federal legislation, many persons with disabilities and members of the public were still unaware of its provisions, thereby exposing people with disabilities to discrimination and denial of opportunities.
He said the awareness campaign was aimed at ensuring that persons with disabilities understood that they were not recipients of charity but holders of fundamental human rights.
“Persons with disabilities are right holders. They should enjoy fundamental human rights as every other citizen. Any opportunity or privilege given to them should be seen from the right angle—not based on pity or benevolence, but as their fundamental human right,” he said.
According to him, violations of the disability law attract sanctions, including fines and imprisonment, depending on the nature of the discriminatory practice.
Participants also called for the removal of physical and institutional barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in community life.
The State Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Delta State Chapter, Comrade Ernest Igbuzorb, commended TAF Africa for sustaining the sensitisation campaign, describing the initiative as timely and impactful.
Also speaking, the Chairman of JONAPWD, Ughelli North Chapter, John Omokiniovo Patrick described the town hall meeting as an eye-opener and a reminder that persons with disabilities must be carried along in government policies and programmes.
Patrick, who noted that the initiative was being implemented by TAF Africa with the support of CBM and the European Union, urged government and community leaders to make disability inclusion a priority from the local government level to traditional institutions and religious organisations.
He called for accessible public and religious facilities, particularly ramps and other infrastructure that would enable wheelchair users and people with physical disabilities to move freely.
“When a person with disability wants to go to church, it should be accessible. The environment should be accessible so that they can go in easily, especially in a wheelchair, and also come out freely without any hitches,” he said.
He further demanded greater representation of persons with disabilities in government appointments, saying their participation should extend beyond positions such as Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants.
He called for the appointment of qualified persons with disabilities as commissioners, board members and heads of government agencies and parastatals.
