Senator Shehu Sani led a delegation of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) from Kaduna State on a visit to the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in Abuja.
During the visit, Sani urged President Bola Tinubu to allocate a 25% fuel subsidy palliative specifically for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria.
He highlighted that the economic challenges faced by PWD, who number over 35 million in the country, were compounded by their disabilities, leading to a double tragedy. Sani expressed optimism that the allocated palliative, once released to the commission, would be distributed fairly.
He also pointed out that the commission faced significant challenges due to inadequate funding, which impacted its operations.
“I am happy that you have been able to carry out your mandate as a commission even with the meagre resources.
“I commend your hard work and that of the management in ensuring that the mandate of the commission was followed through.
“My relationship with them is not political but a matter of personal conviction,” he said.
He further said, “It has always been a passion to ensure that persons with disabilities are given the opportunity to contribute to national development.
“I have always enquired to ensure that the commission is directly connected to the people it was created for.
“I heard that some people with disabilities find it difficult to get in touch with the commission.
“So, other states can key into this initiative as we have done today.”
