The Kebbi Government on Wednesday disbursed N100,000 each to 650 persons with disabilities to enable them start-up business of their choice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government also distributed 100 motorcycles to persons with disabilities
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, sent a package to 250 persons, while the Governor’s Wife, Hajiya Zainab-Nasare Nasir-Idris, donated 1,000 bags of rice.
NAN also reports that the beneficiaries were drawn from across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking during the distribution ceremony in Birnin Kebbi, Gov. Nasir Idris said the gesture aimed to improve the livelihood and encourage economic independence of people living with disabilities.
Represented by his Deputy, Sen. Umar Abubakar-Tafida, the Governor appreciated the first lady for extending hands of fellowship to people living with disabilities across the country.
Idris reiterated the determination of his administration to ensuring that welfare of those living with disabilities was not an under-thought but also among the priorities of government.
He, therefore, urged the people with disabilities to embrace the skills acquisition opportunities offered by governments to improve their lives.
In her speech, Zainab-Nasare Nasir-Idris revealed that the 2025 PWDs celebration day had recorded a unique progress with support form the first lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
“We have gotten an increase this year from the first lady, who sent 250 package to those with disabilities.
“Each of the 250 beneficiaries will receive the sum of N250,000 to start business and this gesture cuts across the 36 states of the federation and FCT,” she said.
The governor’s wife applauded the new initiative by the first lady, describing it as a deliberate attempt to empower persons with disabilities to be self-sufficient.
She observed that the essence of the gesture was to reduce the number of persons with disabilities roaming the streets as beggars, while advising them to ensure that their children not follow the path of begging for livelihood.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Disability Matters, Abba Muhammad-Isa, appreciated the first lady, the Kebbi governor and his wife for extending gesture to those living with disabilities.
He urged the people with disabilities to pray for the first lady, the governor and his wife for making their plights a priority, insisting that people with disabilities had no party other than APC in view of its concern for the downtrodden.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Zayyanu Umar-Aliero, said this year’s theme: ‘Fostering Disability Inclusive Societies For Advancing Social Progress’, aligned with the mission and vision of Idris
He praised his boss for ensuring inclusiveness in matters relating to persons with disabilities, adding that to ensure inclusive governance, the governor had established a Disability Commission in the state.
The commissioner observed that December 3 of every year was set aside by the United Nations to commemorate people living with disabilities to show them love and desist from showing them any form of discrimination.
Umar-Aliero urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the gesture to improve their living standards.
On his part, Abdullahi Usman, the National President, People Living With Disabilities, appreciated the governor for the establishment of Disability Commission in Kebbi.
He observed that with the new development, persons with disabilities now have a place to lodge complaints just like any other normal healthy individual.
