Abuja: The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has unveiled a research report on the impacts of climate change on Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), calling for its implementation in the country. The Acting Director of CCD, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, presented the report titled ‘Disability-Inclusive Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Nigeria,’ during a public event held in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event gathered government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, persons with disabilities, and other key stakeholders to encourage dialogue, collaboration, and stronger commitment to disability-inclusive climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria. Unumeri highlighted the incorporation of valuable insights and recommendations from stakeholders at a validation workshop held in February into the report.
Unumeri urged stakeholders to enhance collaboration and policy commitment to build climate resilience and ensure the incl
usion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response. He emphasized that effective implementation of the report’s recommendations requires sustained collaboration, strong policy commitment, adequate resource mobilisation, and coordinated action across sectors. He stated, “By working together, we can translate these findings into practical interventions that strengthen climate resilience and ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response.”
In her remarks, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, the General Manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), called on stakeholders to translate the report into practical interventions to enhance the inclusion of PWDs, particularly in climate change policies. Lawal expressed concern over the adverse effects of climate change on PWDs and stressed the need for their full representation in climate change policies, funding, programmes, and actions at both the national and state levels.
The Programme Officer of CCD, Mr
s. Christiana Njoku, provided an overview of the research and urged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to review the Climate Change Act of 2021 to ensure the inclusion and representation of PWDs. Njoku stressed the need for collaboration between NCPWD, LASODA, and first responders to conduct accessibility audits of emergency shelters. She also highlighted the importance of documenting issues affecting persons with disabilities to guide stakeholders in implementing inclusive policies and actions.
The event featured goodwill messages from various stakeholders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others.