From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Executive Director, Network for the Advancement of People With Visible Disabilities (NAPVID) and convener, Edo Disability Forum (EDF), Melody Omosah, has said over 675,000 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Edo State are going through hard times following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
He disclosed this while speaking on the topic “Mitigating the impact of fuel subsidy on Persons With Disabilities: The need for inclusive and functional social protection mechanism in Benin City.”
Omosah said the 675,000 persons quoted was 2019 statistics, and that there was every tendency that the numbers might have gone beyond that.
“Currently, the estimated 675,000 PWDs in Edo State (2019 data) are groaning under the weight of the removal of subsidy.
on fuel by the Nigerian government, as no functional social protection mechanism has been specifically put in place to ensure their survival.
“Sadly, this has further increased their vulnerability, leading to an endless cycle of poverty and disability,” Omosah said.
He said PWDs were three times more disadvantaged and disproportionately affected by the fuel subsidy removal, adding that it’s fostering inequality against PWDs and further limiting their inclusivity and opportunities.
NAPVID boss said that recently, NAPVID, under the “Resilient Net: Empowering Inclusivity and Adaptability in Emergency” project, conducted Focus Group Discussion (FGD), among disability clusters across the three senatorial districts of Edo State, and administered 20 questionnaires to PWD households in each of the three senatorial districts in Edo State, to ascertain first hand, the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on the lives and livelihood of PWD.