By correspondent in Abuja.
Mr.James Lalu, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD),has expressed of the Commission’s readiness to partner with FCT Administration to secure shopping spheres for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) to do their legitimate trading.
Lalu disclosed this on Tuesday when he received the leadership of Self-Reliance for Physically Challenged Traders Association of Nigeria (SPCTAN) led by their Chairman, Mr Munnir Shehu in Abuja.
Our correspondent gathered that the delegation was in the commission to register concern over the disruption of the businesses of its members by the joint taskforce and submit a letter of appeal to the Executive Secretary for onward delivery to the FCT Minister.
The NCPWD Boss assured the visitor of his determination to support their course to ensure that they have a decent mean of livelihood.
He commended members of the physically challenged traders association of Nigeria for being law abide in the pursuit of their businesses.
” I thank you for standing on what we always say that disability is not inability for standing to be self-reliant.
”To go and do a legitimate business to earn a living by never finding excuses for your own disability not even going to the streets to beg is really commendable.
”I want to assure you that the complain you bring about the disruption of your businesses will be presented to the Minister of FCT Barr. Nyesom Wike.
”We will make sure that alternative means is provided for you to continue your legitimate business”,Lalu said.
Earlier, the National Chairman, Self-Reliance for Physically Challenge Traders Association of Nigeria (SPCTAN), Mr Munnir Shehu, said, they had over 293 members doing their legitimate business across the FCT.
Shehu also appealed to the FCT Administration to allocate shops for their members to enable them do their businesses in a decent manner.
He said, the appeal became necessary to take them off the streets to avoid further harassment and confrontation with the members of the environmental joint taskforce in the city.
”We have been put out of business for the past three to four weeks now, we don’t go to our business places.
” Because we get to know that this is very serious when ‘FCTA Environmental Taskforce arrest one of our members, took him to SARS and we went to bail him.
”It really touched us because we are all human beings, we don’t engage in street begging.
”We are doing our legitimate business and some of you who go around Berger, Bannex and other places will see us doing our legitimate business.
” Some of us earn N500 to N1,000 as gain daily and use it to sustain ourselves ” he said.
