FCTA PUSHES FOR INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AT DISABILITY POLICY VALIDATION MEETING
By: Olubunmi Labiyi.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through the Women Affairs Secretariat, has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting disability inclusion and accessible governance across the FCT.
Speaking during the Validation Meeting for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Disability Policy held on Thursday at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Conference Hall in Abuja, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, emphasized the importance of building a society where persons living with disabilities are fully included in governance, development programmes, and public services.
The event, hosted by the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat in collaboration with the World Bank Group, Sustainable Family Health Care Foundation (SFHF), and Christian Blind Mission (CBM), brought together key stakeholders, development partners, government officials, disability advocates and civil society organizations to review and validate the proposed disability policy for the territory.
Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi described the policy validation meeting as a critical step toward strengthening disability inclusion and ensuring equal opportunities for all residents of the FCT regardless of physical condition or ability.
She noted that the policy would serve as a framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, improving accessibility in public institutions, and promoting inclusive participation in education, healthcare, employment and governance.
Also speaking at the event, Hadjia Asmau Mukhtar, Esq., the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA Women Affairs Secretariat, commended stakeholders and development partners for their commitment towards advancing the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities in the FCT.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary emphasized that disability inclusion must remain a collective responsibility, urging all relevant institutions to ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from opportunities and decision-making processes.
She noted that the validation of the disability policy demonstrates the FCTA’s resolve to build a more inclusive society where every resident has equal access to services, opportunities and protection under the law.
She further disclosed that stakeholders are diligently working on the draft disability policy to ensure it adequately captures the needs and aspirations of persons living with disabilities.
According to her, effective implementation of the policy would require sustained collaboration, adequate awareness creation and strong institutional support to achieve meaningful impact across the territory.
Representatives of the partner organizations, including the World Bank, SFHF and CBM, also commended the initiative and stressed the need for collaborative action in implementing policies that support inclusion and sustainable development.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for stronger institutional support, adequate funding, and effective implementation strategies to ensure that the disability policy delivers meaningful impact across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
The validation meeting concluded with renewed commitments from participating organizations and government agencies to work together towards a more inclusive and accessible Federal Capital Territory.
