I’ll Lobby for Creation of PWDs Ministry, Adamu Assures Disabled Nigerians
By Kabir Akintayo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu has said that, he will discuss with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on creation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) Ministry.
He made the promise on Wednesday, during a courtesy visit by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) led by Its National Leader, Tolu Bankole, at the party secretariat, in Abuja.
Adamu, while commending Mr Bankole, on his remarkable achievement in elevating the PWDs, status, in the aspect of political inclusion, educational grants, welfare packages, assured the disables of multiple benefits.
He said “I dont want to be promising every body something, we would try to see how governors can patronise in appointing you as board members and get at least one Commissioner. It will go along way for you to know that we care.
“Now there is also a preposition and I take that very seriously, if we do have a ministry of women affairs and youths. I think this Constituency is big enough.
“The NWC will take what ever steps in appropriate, when we meet the president to convey this message because for me it’s a message, it is not an assignment and it is my prayers we succeed so that one of the Ministry will be for the PWDs,” Adamu said.
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Earlier in his speech, Bankole said, APC party chairman has shown a definition of good leader by giving him the necessary support, providing an avenue to lead the PWDs to a greater good.
“First, you did not hesitate to give PWDs free nomination forms while the forms were on sales. PWDs, again got a Campaign Directorate, another first, thanks to your love for us. Today, our party secretariat is accessible to PWDs unlike in the past when we watch from outside.
“It will interest you to know that as the leader of PWDs, I have spent over 30 million naira personally in the past one year to disburse grants and empowerment to women and men in different PWDs clusters nationwide to engender financial inclusion.
“I awarded bursary and scholarships to PWDs students across the country while I paid for GCE forms of hundreds of SSS 3 students. Campaign mobilization grants and seasonal gifts during Islamic and Christian holidays were extended to zonal and state PWDs leaders nation wide,” Bankole said.
Meanwhile, at the end of the APC PWDs, national leadership meeting, which consist of the six zonal Leaders and 36 state leaders, recommended Tolu Bankole for a ministerial cabinet appointment in Tinubu’s government, which according to the communique, is “based on his pedigree, competence and commitment to nation building over the years’’.
Th group also appealed to the President, to tackle head-on by prioritising the concerns of Persons With Disabilities.