The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disabilities, Mr James David Lalu has urged Persons with Disabilities all over the country to come out en-mass and be counted.
Head Press and Public Relations Unit of the commission Mbanefo JohnMichaels in a statement quoted the ES to have made the plea at the town hall meeting put together in Lagos wednesday by the National Population Commissíon as a mark of sensitization for the citizens and residents in Nigeria.
Lalu at the occasion reminded PWDs that their population commands political, as well as economic strength in the country for equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth and resources.
He further urged parents and guardians of PWDs to encourage their Wards to participate in the forthcoming population census exercise for the desired visibility and inclusion.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was represented at the event by the Director General, National Orientation Agency Dr. Garba Abari spoke extensively on the importance of holding the census this year, stating that the Headcount is quite invaluable at this point the world population is increasing geometrically.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman, National Population Commission Nasir Isa Kwarra, who was represented by Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji mentioned that the 2006 census was far outdated, hence the need to have a fresh enumeration cannot be overemphasized.
“No Nation can grow proportionally without adequate statistical data of her citizenry which is a basic guide to planning for development”, he asserted.
Eyitayo, therefore, appealed to citizens to cooperate with the enumerators while on national assignment in order to make the population census a seamless exercise.
In her keynote address, the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadia Umar Farouq, indicated that millions of the most vulnerable groups in Nigeria need to be captured accurately for the attainment of the poverty alleviation programme of President Muhammadu Buhari even as he bows out later this year.
The Minister equally reiterated that the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to lift 10 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years has been achieved to a large extent through the establishment of the Social Safety Nets since the inception of his administration.
Other stakeholders present at the event include the Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mazi Osita Okechukwu, Executive members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists etc.