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By Sunday Ani
Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State as well as Minister for Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha and Minister of Innovation and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji have all pledged their total support for the rights of the disable.
They made the pledge at the official unveiling of ‘The Ability Life Initiative (TALI),’ recently in Abuja.
Uzodimma, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Chinyere Ekomaru, commended TALI’s bold initiative and urged all stakeholders to take decisive action towards a more inclusive society.
He commended the founders, Oprah Uzodimma and Prada Uzodimma, for their dedication to championing the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also announced a partnership between her ministry and TALI to distribute augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tablets to students with speech and language disabilities across 36 states of the federation.
Chief Nnaji also pledged automatic employment for two persons with disabilities in his ministry and a minimum five percent employment quota for persons with disabilities in all ministry projects and programmes.
However, the senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko revealed that he recently introduced a bill in the Senate to strengthen legal protections for persons with disabilities. Onyejeocha equally called for an increase in the five percent employment threshold for persons with disabilities.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, pledged free legal representation for persons with disabilities through a partnership with TALI.
The event brought together government officials, industry leaders and human rights advocates, highlighting a collective commitment to advancing disability rights and fostering a more inclusive society.
Other notable guests included Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); Mr. Jake Epelle, Founder, The Albino Foundation Africa; and Dr. Chike Okogwu, who is the Chief Responsibility Officer, CARE, among many other advocates and policymakers.
With this groundbreaking initiative, TALI has cemented its place as a leading voice in disability advocacy, ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight for equal rights and opportunities in Nigeria.
