..train Duty Bearers to develop Action Plans

By Mary Agidi

In a bid to ensure that Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Ondo State benefit from disability-inclusive social protection programmes, the Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) engaged duty bearers in the state to brainstorm on strategies for achieving inclusive social protection.

In collaboration with the Economic Planning and Coordination Office of the State Ministry of Planning and Budget, the one-day workshop—funded by the Disability Rights Fund—focused on providing equitable social services in line with the Convention on the Rights of PWDs and the National Disability Act.

Welcoming participants from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies within Ondo State’s public service, the Executive Director of DINABI, Mr. Funso Olajide, emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to design and implement inclusive social protection services.

He noted that the workshop was part of DINABI’s project in Ondo State aimed at promoting equity, inclusion, and justice—specifically advancing the rights of PWDs to accessible healthcare services and inclusive social protection.

Mr. Olajide walked participants through strategies for mainstreaming disability rights into social protection systems and stressed the need to fast-track the domestication of the disability law in the state, as achieved in Ekiti State.

He also emphasized inclusive participation in the design and implementation of social protection programmes, including the equitable distribution of opportunities to remove barriers to accessing human rights and reduce poverty level amongst the PWDs.

Declaring the workshop open, the Administrative Secretary of the State Ministry of Budget, Mr. Bamidele Daisi, reiterated the commitment of the Ondo State Government to supporting vulnerable groups, as encapsulated in the OUR EASE agenda of the current administration.

He highlighted the efforts of both past and present administrations in caring for PWDs, including the establishment of an agency for their welfare, the appointment of a Special Assistant to the Governor on Disability Affairs, and the provision of employment and empowerment opportunities.

While appreciating DINABI for organizing the workshop, he reiterated the state government’s commitment not only to policy formulation but also to the full implementation of resolutions aimed at enhancing equity, accessibility, and inclusive welfare for persons with disabilities.

Highlights of the programme held at the Bon hotel Ijapo estate Akure, the Ondo State capital included training participants in basic sign language to enhance communication with the hearing-impaired individuals; educating them on the concept of disability; and the development of action plans by the participants on behalf of their respective MDAs.