The Federal Government and stakeholders, on Thursday, applauded the European Union for funding a project aimed at advocating the rights of Persons with Disability in the wake of the halt in funding by the United States Agency for International Development.
They gave the tributes at the official launch of the Disability Rights Advocacy Project for Inclusive Development, a three-year initiative co-funded by the EU in collaboration with the Christian Blind Mission held in Abuja.
Speaking with PUNCH Online on the sidelines of the event, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ayuba Burki, described the project as a welcome development.
He said, “This project is very commendable. As it is a three-year project, it is our desire that this will go as planned for all persons with disability to be involved. Disability programmes are not exclusively the purview of some persons in organisations.
“It means all hands must be on deck, and we must achieve our set goals. So I am delighted and look forward to a successful implementation of this programme in the next three years. We call on other partners to follow suit so that at the end of the day, people living with disabilities can heave a sigh of relief.”
Burki also rued the funding cut of USAID by United States President Donald Trump, saying it will put pressure on many third-world countries.
He also sees it as an opportunity for leaders in the affected countries to look inward and find solutions.
“I will call on African leaders to take up this challenge and look inward. I believe that USAIÐ was doing a great job. But we cannot abandon caring for our people because it pulled out. We need to look inward and re-strategise.
“Who knows? This may be a blessing in disguise. So I don’t see a cause to worry. But it is an opportunity to look inward and solve funding and reprioritise our priorities as a nation. We will be fine at the end of the day,” he stated.
The Founder of The Albino Foundation, Chief Jack Epelle also shared his sentiments.
Epelle warned that Nigeria and many other developing nations cannot continue to depend on USAID funding forever.
He said, “I think it’s a good and bad omen. It is a good omen because it is high time we begin to take our eyes off development funding and begin to develop ourselves so that we, in turn, can fund others. This kind of event should propel us to look inward and begin to see how to meet the needs of the people by ourselves.
“The bad omen is that there are projects USAID has started and individuals were employed. Some projects were expected to run for three to five years. It will create hardships. Several children will be out of school, and many families not sure of where their next meal will come will suffer.”
He, however, praised the European Union for agreeing to undertake the advocacy of persons with disabilities, especially at the grassroots.
Earlier in his address, the CBM Global Head of Programme Implementation, Bright Ekweremadu, said the project couldn’t have come at a better time.
Ekweremadu also hailed the EU for taking up the bold initiative to continue funding humanitarian projects at a time when President Donald Trump halted USAID funding in Africa and other regions.
He said, “We all know what recently happened to USAID. So when you see a global donor or funder for programmes like this, we need to prostrate and think of them for coming to the aid of the less privileged and vulnerable in society.
“Today is a bold declaration of purpose in a shared commitment to a future where every Nigerian, regardless of their ability, has a right to dignity, opportunity and full participation in the society.
“It is our collective response to the persistent inequalities that persons with disabilities face every single day of their lives, sometimes consciously from us. Together, let us build a Nigeria where disability will be recognised, every voice will be heard, and no one is left behind.”
While appreciating the gesture from the audience, the head of the European Union delegation, Wynyfred Egbuson, emphasised the need to advocate for the cause of the less privileged in society.
According to her, the EU-CBM project was signed after a conscious and rigorous exercise of assessing its possible impact.
She said, “Today’s event is an outcome of the long process that started in June 2024 with a call for proposals by civil society organisations and human rights organisations within and outside Nigeria through a competitive and rigorous process that entails three stages of assessment.
“The CBM and its co-implementing partners were selected from 31 applications, leading to the project being launched today. It is estimated that over 25 million people live with disability in Nigeria. This translates to one in every 10 Nigerians.
“Unfortunately, persons with disability are among the most vulnerable members of our society. They face social stigma, exploitation, discrimination and exclusion from participating in the society. We believe that a lot still needs to be done.”