Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has approved the establishment of the Zamfara State Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Board as part of his administration’s drive to promote social welfare and inclusive governance.
Announcing the development in Gusau, the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, said the move followed a recent amendment to the state law designed to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, prevent discrimination and ensure equal access to opportunities.
Key changes to the law include replacing “Chairman” with “Executive Chairman”, “Executive Secretary” with “Secretary” and converting part-time membership to full-time. It also mandates that members of the board must be selected from among PWDs to ensure that its activities reflect the interests of the targeted groups.
Governor Lawal appointed Alhaji Usman Ahmed Nahuche, a retired Permanent Secretary and member of the Deaf cluster, as the pioneer Executive Chairman of the board.
Other members include Hajiya Amina B.M. Audu (Spinal Cord cluster), Tukur Abdullahi (Deaf cluster), Babangida Umar Shinkafi (Physically Challenged), Umar Babangida Ahmed (Blind cluster), Binta Namadi (representative of women) and Sani Abubakar.
The governor said the establishment of the board reflects his administration’s commitment to social justice, equity and inclusivity, noting that persons with disabilities possess unique talents and potential that can drive Zamfara’s progress and development.
He charged the appointees to work diligently to improve the living standards of PWDs across the state and thanked development partners and stakeholders who supported the process of amending the law.
