Wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari, says the Federal Government is committed to building of the capacity, visibility and knowledge of youth with disabilities to enable them to be self-reliant and productive.
Buhari, represented by Mrs Pauline Tallen , the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, said this in Abuja at the opening of a three-day workshop on Monitoring and Life Enhancing Programme for youth living with disabilities.
“In line with the discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (prohibition) Act, the Federal Government under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari is committed to continually build the capacity, visibility and knowledge of youth with disabilities to be self- reliant and productive members of the society,’’ she said.
Buhari said that young people living with disabilities were among the poorest and most marginalised in the society.
According to her, the UN estimates that there are between 180 million and 220 million youth with disabilities worldwide and nearly 80 per cent live in developing countries, including Nigeria.
She said the government had long recognised that the vision, imagination, ideals and energies of all young people, irrespective of their physical conditions, were vital for social, political and economic development.
Buhari thanked the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for providing a platform for purposeful engagement and further sensitisation of youth.
She implored all Ministries, Department and Agencies with youth component in their appropriation not to leave any young person behind.
(NAN)