By Golok Nanmwa,Jos
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening disability inclusion following a meeting with the leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Abuja.
The engagement, held at the Ministry’s conference hall, was initiated by JONAPWD and led by its National President, Abdullahi Usuman, alongside the National Secretary, Dr. Ishaku Adamu.
Alh. Usuman, who opened the discussion, highlighted the urgent need for improved technical support for persons with disabilities across government institutions, noting that over 35 million Nigerians still face barriers to access and participation, non-inclusion in donor funded programmes and other forms of targeted interventions as is the case of other vulnerable groups, Speaking further on points raised by the National President, Dr. Adamu drew attention to the lack of disability-focused funding within regional development agencies and the outdated curriculum used in schools for members of the disability community using blind students as an example. He highlighted the difficulties blind students experience in studying courses like mathematics and the sciences, noting that this can be attributed to a curriculum that is not inclusive.
Former Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities, Hon. James Lalu, stressed that from the flag-ship commission in Plateau State, the community has grown to about 28 states at the moment and counting but made a case for a deeper collaboration with the federal government and other MDAs because many state disability commissions remain underfunded and require stronger federal backing to function effectively.
In his response, Minister Doro acknowledged the challenges and pledged closer collaboration with the Commission and disability stakeholders. He disclosed that the Ministry is already in discussions with the World Bank on potential projects to support inclusive education and broader disability-focused interventions.
He also noted funding gaps caused by shifting priorities among development partners but emphasised the need for locally driven solutions. The Minister added that the idea of appointing a technical adviser with a disability is under serious consideration.
The visit was described as historic by the delegation, marking the Minister’s first formal engagement with the national disability community. The meeting ended with a commitment to deepen cooperation and advance inclusion for millions of Nigerians living with disabilities.