The Chairman of the House Committee on peoples with disabilities (PWD), Dr. Bashiru Dawodu has expressed concern over the plight of no fewer than 30 million persons living with disabilities in the country.

Speaking Thursday during the unveiling of the initiative’s five-year plan at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, he remarked the PLWDs face several challenges every day including discrimination, access employment and other challenges.

Represented by a member of the committee, Rep. Fayinka Oluwatoyin, Dawodu explained that the situation explained why the National assembly passed Discrimination against persons with Disability Act in 2018.

He explained that with the expiration of a moratorium in January 2024, his committee is already monitoring compliance and implementation of the law.

The Deputy Director, Federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, Garba Magaji commended the Global Disabilities Green Initiative (GDGI) an NGO for the initiative to alleviate the plight of PLWDs and pledged the ministry support and collaboration.

The founder of GDGI, Mrs Angelina Ugben pledged to train 10,000 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) as green leaders to be key agents of change in the green economy by 2030.

Ugben said the initiative was born out of a belief that disability and sustainability could walk hand in gloves as against long-standing narratives that excluded PWDs from environmental action.

According to her, PWD are not problems to solve but they are pioneers to empower; this is not charity, it is justice in action.

Ugben explained that the mandate includes equipping PWDs with clean energy skills and entrepreneurship opportunities.

She said it included ensuring climate policies are co-designed with, not for, PWDs by tapping the innovation potential of PWDs to create adaptive, disability-smart solutions in agriculture, energy, and technology

“In just eight months, GDGI has planted 50 symbolic trees in Karon Majigi, FCT, in partnership with Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD)

“We have trained 25 PWDs in solar photovoltaic installation, in collaboration with ASTEVEN Energy Institute.

“We have distributed 100 solar lamps to students in underserved communities through a partnership with the Smiling Simon Greenbuild Foundation and Light Up Africa.

“We have also advocated for disability-inclusive climate action at national and international levels, including the United Nations and ECOWAS,” she said.

The founder challenged stakeholders in government, the private sector, and civil society to embrace the vision of an inclusive green economy, saying that PWDs must no longer be left out of the sustainability equation.