The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, has announced that it has embarked on a one year project entitled: “Promoting disability inclusive adaptation and mitigation in Abia State”.
Interim head of the centre, Florence Austin stated this when she led a team from the centre on an advocacy visit to the special assistant to the governor on Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), David Anyaele in Umuahia, the state capital.
Mrs Austin explained that the centre embarked on the project to appreciate Governor Alex Otti for his administration’s commitment to the wellbeing of PWDs, describing him as disability champion.
While commending Otti for Anyaele’s appointment, she added that the centre will partner the administration to improve the lives of PWDs in the state to give them sense of belonging..
In his contribution, the senior programme officer of the centre, Damian Ivom, lamented that available records in some states indicated that PWDs are mostly affected by flooding caused climate change.
“Apart from the project, the centre will be doing a baseline survey, meeting with ministries, departments, agencies, and PWDs among others to understand how they’re coping with climate change,” he said.
Responding, Anyaele expressed joy that the centre chose the state for the project and extolled the centre for buying into Otti’s recent approval for the establishment of department for climate change in the ministry of environment.
“The state is trying to have a document that will help to respond to incidents of climate change in the environment because its effect differs from region to region,” the assistant noted.
He used the opportunity to call on interventionists and donour agencies on climate change, to emulate the centre’s efforts at improving the quality of lives of PWDs in the state.
Anyaele, who commended the team for the visit, assured them that the administration is willing to collaborate with the centre in promoting the project as well as sustain its support for PWDs.