The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has restated its commitment to inclusive development, especially with regard to Persons Living with Disabilities, PWDs, in Rivers State, to enhance their skills, boost their economic independence and participation in society.
Speaking during an empowerment outreach for youths and women living with disabilities in Rivers State, the Director of the NDDC Rivers State Office, Engr. Okezie Ule, represented by Mrs Patience Opuebi, said the Commission recognised the importance of ensuring that persons with disabilities were consciously included in its development interventions in the region.
The initiative, organised in Port Harcourt to mark the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, brought together stakeholders, government representatives and beneficiaries to promote inclusion and address the challenges confronting persons with disabilities.
In her own remarks, the NDDC Director of Culture and Women Affairs, Mrs Ahunna Imoni, called for sustained efforts to remove barriers that limit the participation of persons with disabilities in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and employment.
She noted: “This initiative is part of the Commission’s broader commitment to skills acquisition, advocacy and the creation of opportunities for underserved groups across the Niger Delta. We have listened carefully and learnt a lot with keen observation. We might not be wholly there yet, but we are on the right track, taking crucial steps to ensure inclusion in all that we do.”
The programme featured lectures from both town and gown. One of the Ministry of Justice facilitators, Evelyn Member, commended the NDDC for its inclusive initiatives. She noted, “We need to go beyond empowerment programmes and economic inclusion. If we genuinely want inclusion, we must create opportunities for PWDs to be involved in decision-making”
Another facilitator, and also a PWD, Ms Ndifreke Andrew-Essien, encouraged beneficiaries to look beyond their disabilities. She said: “Insert yourself into conversations and movements. You have to make yourself, your abilities and the pros of your disabilities known. It is with this that you can make notable change for yourself.”
The programme underscores the NDDC’s continued efforts to extend its development interventions to underserved groups and promote greater participation in the Niger Delta’s socio-economic advancement.
