For the sake of justice, equity and inclusion, it is important for government employment and empowerment agencies to consider the special needs of people with disabilities, and marginalized groups in the design and implementation of economic empowerment programs. This was one of the major recommendations made at a recent business skills training organized by the FCT Original Inhabitants with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society (OIPWDS), in collaboration with a fast rising civil society organization, the Socio- Economic Research Development (SERDEC).
The training, which also received presentation from the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) provided the space for Original Inhabitants to brainstorm on their business ideas, just as they receive mentorship from experts. The convening is part of the interventions being supported by Equitable Recovery initiative launched in 2021 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation through the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED).
Stakeholders were unanimous about the fact that creating opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is an important step to take towards ensuring justice, fairness and inclusion. Looking at the situation of the marginalization and exclusion suffered by the Original Inhabitants in the Federal Capital Territory since the capital was created in 1976, the stakeholders stressed that promoting the economic rights of FCT natives, many of who are also living with disabilities would enable them participate effectively as citizens, especially given the reality of poverty and destitution in the country.
In his opening remark, the President of the Original Inhabitant with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society (OIWDMCS) Mr. Yakubu Festus said, the cooperative society has not less than three thousand members, who are very hardworking and ready to make themselves relevant in the society.
He said: “As persons with disabilities, we don’t allow our dishabilles to pull us down but rather show to the world that we are able live good lives and contribute to society. Many of the members of this cooperative society have acquired various skills which should serve as the means of generating income, if they are supported to pursue various livelihoods. Also the cooperatives has many members who are graduates of various higher institution, while others have been able to acquire relevant entrepreneurial skills and are looking forward to managing their business.”
Importantly, participants at the town hall were on the same page in terms of building the required synergy to ensure FCT natives, especially those with disabilities are able to take advantage of government sponsored employment and empowerment opportunities. As such, the presentation by SMEDAN provided some insights about how FCT natives, especially those with disabilities can venture into business through the assistance of the agency.
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According to the Manager of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Mrs. Mary Kolawole SMEDAN through the help of the Federal Government has a put in place a lot of programs to assist people to grow their business, including people living with disabilities. Mrs. Kolawole informed her audience that to make such programs accessible, registration was available online to ensure the intervention gets closer to the people. Part of SMEDAN’s goal, she noted was to help people develop and expanding their various businesses.
She said “SMEDAN is a Federal Government Agency put in place to see to the promotion, development and management of both small and medium enterprises. It is established to see how we can help people to start, grow and expand their business, by doing this we move closer to the people that are already into business and those that are about to start their own.
We teach them what business is all about because a lot of people go into business without an understanding of the reason for doing business.” She said it was important for the Original Inhabitants with disabilities to make use of the opportunities they have and also for them to take advantage of channels for raising funds within themselves, and not to jump the gun by taking bank loans, which come with stringent conditions and difficult repayment requirements.
Speaking with The Explainer, a participant of the town hall meeting, Awutu Hassan, who is physically challenged appreciated the Original Inhabitants with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society, SERDEC, CHRICED and MacArthur Foundation for organizing such an enlightening program. His words: “I never knew I can access opportunities, including funding from government agencies to engage in my farming business because most times I have been faced with financial challenge, but I did not know where to go and who to meet. Through information sharing and capacity building provided through the project focusing on Original Inhabitants, I was able to access fund. Today am very happy with the level and size of my farm, and I have information on where to go to source for found.”
Also Hassan similarly stated that before he started getting information from the capacity building programs organized by the Original Inhabitants with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society and SERDEC, he did not use to keep record of his farming business, thinking it is not necessary. That he revealed has changed because he now records daily activities and expenses on his farm. Hassan enthused about his intention to go into full scale mechanized farming.
Another participant Juliana Ode, a physically challenged fashion designer said although she has been into fashion designer since 1991, she did not understand how to properly organize the vocation as a business. She said: “I am very happy to be a partaker of this capacity building. I have learnt a lot, though am fashion designer and I have people working under me but one thing I lacked in my business, which I am going to correct from now is keeping record. Sometime I sew dresses for people on credit because I don’t keep record I forget and that is how I have lost a lot money to customers. So from today I will start keeping record, and I will also register my business under SMEDAM so that she can also enjoy benefits that will come from the agency.
