Japan provides N600m grants to support physically challenged in Nigeria

Details

Written by Abdullateef Abubakar Jos

The Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, gave the

information at the signing of a Non-Project Grant Aid agreement between the Federal

Republic of Nigeria and the Government of Japan in Abuja.

Usman signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while Mr Ryuichi Shoji, the Japanese

Ambassador in Nigeria signed for his country.

The minister said that the project would be executed by the Ministry of Women Affairs and

Social Development which would distribute 50 wheelchairs each to the 36 states and the

Federal Capital Territory.

He said the commission would monitor the project to ensure that the wheelchairs and

clutches were presented to the physically challenged persons across the country.

In a remark, the Minister of Women affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina,

commended the Government of Japan for its concern for persons with disabilities in Nigeria

and intervening to solve their problems.

Represented by Mrs Mercy Daodu, the Director of Rehabilitation in the Ministry, Maina

requested for the reconsideration of its earlier application for grant-in-aid for the

construction of the National Rehabilitation Institute Centre in Abuja.

She said the project was intended to train a minimum of 500 persons with disabilities

across the country on different and highly marketable skills and vocations that would be of

immense benefit to the two governments.

Responding, Shoji said the grant was designed to support the promotion of the economic

and social development of countries by utilising products made in East Japan, especially the

Tohoku region.