From Yakubu Mustapha Minna
Wife of Niger State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Umaru Bago tasked the women political appointees in the state to carry their fellow woman along by supporting others to excel in their respective areas of endeavor.
She stated this during interactive session Organised by the Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development after a road walk in commemoration of this year’s International women’s Day held at the Women Multipurpose Hall in Minna, the State Capital.
The first lady revealed that her husband had pledged to continue to give women more opportunities to be productive in the society.
Similarly, Niger State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Titi Auta said the essence of the interactive session was to give women the opportunity to offer suggestions and advice on how best to address their challenges and problems facing the general society.
“We want to protect the right of women, empower them and their children. However, women with disability are very special people. From the exhibitions done today, what women with disability presented are very interesting. They can produce mats, hand fans, and those who are instructors.”
The duo described the women leaving with disabilities as special people that requires the needed attention and support to enable them to be productive and contribute their quota to the development of the society.
In same vein, Women with disabilities in Niger State have decried low access to Education and empowerment opportunities like other sectors of the society.
Speaking Under the Joint Association of People Living with Disabilities which comprised of Nigerian Association of the Blind, Nigerian Association of the Deaf, leprosy, Association of People Living with albinism in Nigeria, among others, a woman with disability, Hadiza Mohammed Aliyu of the People Living with albinism in Nigeria said women with disabilities called on Niger state government to recognize the contributions of women with disabilities in the development of the state.
She revealed further challenge of their group that only 2 percent out of 20 percent of women with disabilities that have access education and their voices are not been amplified.