NCPWD To Construct 40-Unit Toilet For Leprosy Colony

By Garry Ochigbo

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, NCPWD, has commenced the construction of a 40-unit toilet for the Alheri Leprosy Colony in Yangoji, Kwali Area Council of Abuja.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, James Lalu, said the project will be completed and ready for use within two months.

Mr Lalu said the commission is committed to the improvement of the lives of persons with disabilities, PWDs in Nigeria after it was established in 2020 to implement the provisions of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act, 2018.

Lalu added that as part of the commission’s partnership with the FCTA, through the Mandate Secretary of the Social Development Secretariat, 40 accessible toilets for the colony will be constructed and rotten roofs replaced to improve their living condition.

He however appealed to the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, to
pay more attention to issues affecting PWDs, adding that there was need to partner the FCT to make sure that in the nearest future the minister would embark on projects to improve the quality of life of PWDs.

The Executive Secretary appreciated the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, for her motivation and support to the commission since assumption of office in the interest of all the disability communities.

Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, who was represented by her Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubairu, said that the Ministry and President Tinubu are committed to better the lives of members of the leprosy colony in particular and PWDs in general as they have special abilities.

He added that 10 percent of the ministry’s empowerment programmes will be reserved for the PWDs, including N-Power, GEEP, and other intervention programmes supervised by the ministry through the Executive Secretary of NCPWD.

In a reaction, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, Alhaji Abba Isa, said that President Tinubu is determined to uplift the situation of PWDs in Nigeria to create more opportunities for PWDs to thrive in the country for nation building.

Similarly, the Chief, leprosy colony, Alhaji Ali Isa, who spoke in Hausa, said that his people are grateful for the kind gesture and look forward to more interventions by the FCTA and the Federal Government.

Edited By Grace Namiji