FG to commence local production of assistive devices for people with disability – Minister

*About 19 million Nigerians living with disability – Action Aid

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan has disclosed that Federal Government is doing everything possible to ensure local production of assistive devices for the use of people living with disability.

The Minister stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the Stakeholders Consultative forum on local production of assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria.

The Minister who was represented by Mrs. Victoria Akintawe, Director of Rehabilitation who represented the Minister said that the development will facilitate mobility and improve the livelihood of persons with disability.

She said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development at one of its council meetings granted an approval for the establishment of local production of Assistive Devices Outfit in all the states of the federation.

“This is to ensure that the acute shortage and high cost of the Devices are minimized and to further enhance competition with the Foreign manufacturers”.

The Minister explained that letters were sent out since 2013 and 2014 to all the 36 states who were to forward a list of existing and functional local producers in their respective states.

Also in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Ifeoma Anagbogu said that the forum is to enlighten and encourage the local producers on how best to maintain, develop and improve production, enable interaction with successful producers in order to share ideas and experiences and to ensure standardisation and quality control of production.

The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe assured government will continue to cater for persons living with liability.

Ministry of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, represented by Comrade Joel Bullus also appreciated the work of Ministry in taking care of people with disability in the country. He said the forum will help the country take a second look at the products, see how value can be added to it through local content and production.

The minister said that making the devices locally will create self-employment for the disabled and a source of revenue for the teeming unemployed youths.

He pledged that skill development centres at the Labour and Employment ministry will be available to train people with disability.

The Daughters of Charity sisters, represented by Sr. Fidelia Unigwe Coordinator of the office for People with disabilities said that Nigeria has the capacity to produce assistive devices but often they are done manually.

She said that time has come for people to come to Nigeria to get assistive devices not as charity but as business.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoS) Eyo Ita, represented by Patrick Pillars said that local production of the assistive devices will make life more meaningful for the affected persons.

He said that HoS has a desk for persons living with disability in the public service, saying that the Service will continue to assist them with the right policies.

Action Aid International, represented by Suwaiba Yakubu Jibrin disclosed that more than 19 million people are living with disability, which, according to her, calls for serious concern but expressed delight on the efforts of the Ministry on training people for local production of assistive devices.

She pointed out that the delays in the disability bill at the National Assembly remains a big challenge as it hampers infrastructure conformity, employment and local manufacture of devices at affordable rate.

She urged the Ministry to push for the passage of the bill, insisting that if passed, most of the problems confronting people with disability will be solved.

The event was also attended by persons living with disability, the management of National Leprosy Centre, Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), MTN Foundation and many more.

Myke Uzendu, Abuja