Sokoto State Government has pledged to ensure implementation of disability law to harness gender policy and inclusive education system.
Mr Nasir Binji, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Sokoto State, gave the assurance on Monday when he received members of ‘ the “Education for All Cluster”, an educational drive supported by USAID and Palladium consortium.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is tagged ” USAID-Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement ,SCALE, Project’s” in Sokoto state.
He described the advocacy visit by the group as a reminder in recognition of the importance of inclusive education system and gender policy to citizens.
He said that Gov. Ahmad Aliyu, had already signed into law the persons with disability law which is a significant milestone in improving the lives of persons living with disabilities in the state.
“The law provides for inclusion of all in programmes, provision of ramps for easy passages in public infrastructures including classes, toilets and other structures in our schools, provide biles for blind students and other relevant educational materials”, he said.
He added that law also provides for the establishment of special schools in each of the three senatorial zones in the state as well facilitating the domestication of national gender policy and inclusive education programmes along with strategies of improving the systems.
The commissioner commended USAID, Palladium and the six cluster organisations on the efforts and assured more support in order to achieve the desired results.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Balarabe Kadadi, reiterated the state government’s commitment to increase budgetary allocation and implementation of inclusive education system across the state.
Kadadi, who was represented by the Director International Cooperation, Alhaji Musa Wamakko, said that the ministry would constitute technical committee to ensure streamlining gender policy, inclusive education system and other friendly policies.
He said the committee would fine-tune modalities for establishment of more special schools, recruitment of qualified teachers, ensure ministerial harmony and other needs of physically challenged persons.
According to him, all people are equal irrespective of ethnicity, religion differences, stressing that physically challenged persons possesses potentialities of living as normal persons.
Earlier, Leader of the Cluster, Malam Abdu Yusuf said the visit was part of the advocacy visits soliciting support and cooperation for right implementation of inclusive system and gender policy in the state.
Yusuf explained that stakeholders’ supports especially the ministry of Justice, Budget and Economic Planning and affiliated agencies were crucial to the success of the drive stressing that six clusters engaged on the exercise in Sokoto state.
NAN reports that the cluster members have visited State House of Assembly, ministries and agencies where they solicited for maximum support to ensure the successful implementation of gender policy and inclusive education system.
