Stakeholders pledge to bridge disability-inclusion gaps in Gombe MDAs
Officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Gombe State, on Thursday pledged to bridge all disability-inclusion gaps in their various MDAs.
The stakeholders shared their views in separate interviews with Our Correspondent in Gombe at the end of a four-day training programme on disability inclusion awareness.
The training was organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its state Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity.
Mr Shuaibu Adamu, from the Department of Library, Gombe State University (GSU) who spoke through an interpreter said the training had empowered him to carry out advocacy from a more enlightened perspective.
Adamu said he learnt that the issue of accessibility for PWDs was important when considering their inclusion to education, health and every other sector.
“I have learnt a lot and I can tell you that students with disabilities will enjoy their education in GSU when I get back to work.
“This training just opened my eyes to the fact that our library at the faculty of education is up and there is no ramp, so I will advocate for that immediately.
“So that physically challenged students can have easy access to the library.
“Service delivery to students with disabilities will be done in a more dignified manner just as it is done with students without disabilities,” he said.
He stated that the training by USAID had provided him with a guide on how to advocate for services that would make access to education easy for PWDs in GSU.
Adamu who is also the Desk Officer, students with disabilities, GSU said he had acquired enough knowledge to liaise with the management of the institution towards ensuring that PWDs were considered in any endeavour of human life.
“Now I know that disability right is human right and that we are all equal, so why should any PWDs be discriminated against?”.
Mr Dumo Massa, the State Desk Officer, USAID State2State on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Ministry of Water Resources, Gombe State said inclusion of PWDs in all sectors in the society should be prioritised.
Massa said that with the level of knowledge he had acquired from the training, he would advocate for the inclusion of PWDs in terms of service delivery being rendered his ministry.
Also, Mrs Lynda Suka, from the Office of Budget, Planning and Development Partners Coordination, Gombe State said she would help advance the course of inclusion for PWDs under her office to ensure equity and guarantee service delivery for PWDs.
Suka said she would sensitise her colleagues as a way of passing the knowledge acquired towards ensuring inclusion for PWDs.
On her part, Mrs Zainab Tijani, a lecturer at the Department of Business Administration, Gombe State University, said she would compile the lists of PWDs in her department and if possible the university and ensure that they were well taken care of.
“I will assist them from today even during registration I will make sure they are treated well and all barriers are removed for them to be comfortable.”
