PWDs need support to explore their potential – Director

The Creative Director of Abuja Arts Ability Festival, Mr. Donald Unanka, has said People With Disabilities (PWDs) have been marginalised and needed support to explore their potential.

Unanka, who said this at a three-day festival to showcase the creative talents of PWDs Friday in Abuja, stressed that the event was to celebrate World Disability Day.

The Festival Tagged “2022 Abuja Arts Ability Festival” was organised by Potters Gallery with support from UNESCO.

“We support people with disabilities to showcase their artistic and creative potentials.

“We use this event to connect them with different agencies helping them to sell their talents and what they can produce and be self-reliant,” he said.

He said there were deliberate policies designed by the government to ensure that PWDs make maximum gain from the entire arts and creative industries.

“The arts and creative industry is very large and according to UNESCO the industry is the second largest in the world.

“We need to call on the stakeholders in the art and creative industry to begin to implement the disability law.

“We have a law that has a lot of instruments to compel both government and other stakeholders to ensure inclusion of PWDs in all sectors.”

The entertainment organiser, Mr. Chris Agbo, appealed to relevant stakeholders to ensure inclusion of PWDs in all sectors.

Susan Ihioma, a participant, said people with disabilities were not objects and not looking for charity.

“We are able, we have over 31 million disabled persons which are isolated, will be a disservice to the nation,” she said.

The Shadow Country Director, Plan International Nigeria, Pelemo Ava-Nyajo, said people with disabilities have been contributing positively to the nation’s development in spite of their conditions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the 2022 celebration is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development, the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.”