The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) on Tuesday congratulated President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the Vice President Kassim Shettima on their successful inauguration noting that their administration presents a window of opportunity for implementation of policies to impact lives of Nigerians.
Grace Jerry, the Executive Director of IFA, in a statement, specifically noted that the presidency of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presents a window of opportunity to change this narrative and work towards improving the rights of about 33 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
“Inclusive governance is imperative to actualizing the dividends of democracy. However, previous advocacy efforts on political and governance issues have not yielded the desired results. In particular, policymakers have not implemented policies advocated for by advocates that would meaningfully impact their lives.
“The presidency of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFRN, therefore, presents a window of opportunity to change this narrative and work towards improving the rights of about 33 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
“It is in this regard that we believe Your Excellency will find the following recommendations of the Governance Agenda for an Inclusive Nigeria (GAIN).
“The President and state governments should commit to affirmative action to ensure at least 10% of all political appointments are reserved for qualified persons with disability. Both the legislature at National and State level We need executive positions ( ministers and commission ers and heads of parastatals).
“The President should commit to influencing the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to develop and implement a special disability social protection scheme to cover out-of pocket expenses on health by persons with disabilities.
“Through an executive order (temporarily) and then through the finance bill (permanently), import duties should be waived on the importation of assistive devices for persons with disa bility, thereby making it affordable.
“The executive or legislators should sign the National Trust Fund Act into law and fully implement it by the already existing Nigeria Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPWD).
“The National Assembly members should commit to a champion tax rebate for employers complying with the 5% disability quota as incentives through an act of parliament.
“The President committed to influencing the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budgeting, and National Planning to include a line item on disability in the national appropriation budgeting tem plate for MDAs” reads the statement in parts.
