Politics
THE Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) seeks collaboration with the Abia State Fire Service, to promote disability-inclusive disaster management in the state.
The group made the request during its advocacy visit to Mr Arua Nnanna, the Chief Fire Service Officer of Abia State Fire Service at its headquarters in Umuahia on Thursday.
The Acting Director, CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, said that the request was to ensure that persons with disabilities (PWDs) were not left behind in climate change mitigation efforts
He said that it was an advocacy brief on the findings from the group’s research on “Promoting Disability-Inclusive Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Abia State” with support from the Disability Rights Fund.
Unumeri disclosed that the findings highlighted the urgent need for inclusive disaster management and climate change adaptation strategies.
He said the group’s key findings from its research identified several critical challenges that PWDs face when responding to climate change and disasters in the state.
Based on its findings, Unumeri said that the group had outlined several recommendations to improve the resilience of PWDs in the state in the face of climate change.
He, therefore, requested the collaboration of Abia State Fire Service in training PWDs on the impact of climate change and how they could mitigate its effects.
Unumeri also requested a fire chief’s participation in a training programme to sensitise the agency on how to engage PWDs in climate change adaptation and disaster response.
The CCD acting director urged the agency to engage a disability desk officer as well as a sign language interpreter, who services would be needed especially during emergency.
“We urge you to collaborate with us in raising awareness about the impact of climate change on PWDs.
“We also request that you use your office to advocate for allocation of adequate budgetary provisions for inclusive climate change adaptation and mitigation,” he said.
In a brief response, Nnanna commended CCD for the visit and for conducting a research on disability-inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation for PWDs in the state.
The elated officer pledged the agency’s collaboration with CCD to carry PWDs along in all its activities, especially in the area of training as earlier requested.
“Your research was good because it exposes us to areas that we need to look at critically and know how we are going to use it in subsequent review of our laws, budgets and activities.
“Climate change has brought a lot of issues in the world, and it is critical to us as an agency because there are fires that occur in an area without people setting it,”
He said.
He said that such fire which he described as “instantaneous ignition temperature” is caused by the high rate of heat in an area or space.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CCD delegation presented the research document and information, education and communication materials to the agency.
The representatives of the disability community were present during the advocacy visit. (NAN)
17th January, 2025.
C.E.
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