By Lanre Oloyede
The Federal government has flagged off the distribution of relief packages to elderly Persons with Disabilities across Nigeria.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, did the flag off for the North Central on behalf of President Tinubu on Tuesday in Abuja.
The initiative, which is being implemented in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), is aimed at providing immediate support to elderly Persons with Disabilities who are among the most vulnerable members of society.
The intervention is targeted at 5,000 households of the most vulnerable elderly Persons with Disabilities across the country, who will benefit from relief packages designed to cushion the effects of current economic challenges and improve their wellbeing.
The programme is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which prioritizes addressing hunger, reducing poverty, and strengthening food security for vulnerable Nigerians.
Speaking at the event , Hon. Abba Isa noted that the intervention reflects the commitment of the Tinubu administration to ensuring that no segment of society—particularly Persons with Disabilities—is left behind in national development efforts.
Isa noted that the initiative demonstrates the Tinubu administration’s determination to advance social justice and ensure that vulnerable citizens benefit from the dividends of democracy under the Renewed Hope framework.
He further emphasized that the partnership with NEMA underscores the government’s determination to work with relevant agencies to deliver timely humanitarian support to those in greatest need.
Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency, Abuja, Zakari Abubakar, who supervised the distribution of essential food items to verified beneficiaries, alongside targeted financial assistance aimed at easing immediate hardships and improving the well-being of elderly persons with disabilities.
Zakari reaffirms the agency’s resolve to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to improve Humanitarian support to the vulnerables.
He said Our office is very much ready and our doors are widely open to see how we can continue to relate , to collaborate to ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable groups in the society.
Speaking, National President of JONAPWD, Mr Abdullahi Usman Aliyu commended the intervention by the SSA and calls for extension to other parts of the country.
Beneficiaries thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the SSA for the timely intervention and call for sustainability of the gesture.
The event attracted major stakeholders in the disability community, including the National President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, and former Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), James David Lalu.
Representatives of clusters such as the blind, deaf, physically challenged, albino, leprosy, spinal cord injury, spina bifida, intellectual disability, and dwarf communities were also present, underscoring the inclusive nature of the programme.
The distribution exercise mark another step toward deepening social protection for Persons with Disabilities and advancing inclusive governance in Nigeria.
