The Kano State Government has announced plans to establish a commission for persons with disabilities to strengthen their inclusion in governance and improve access to essential services.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and People with Special Needs, Amina Abdullahi, disclosed this at an event organised by the Society for People with Disability Forum in Kano, where the organisation endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for re-election in 2027.
Abdullahi said the state government had introduced a dedicated budget line to address the needs of persons with disabilities, adding that steps were being taken to establish the proposed commission.
She explained that the commission would provide an institutional framework for supporting persons with disabilities and promoting equal opportunities in education, employment, healthcare and social participation.
The commissioner said the existing departmental structure was serving as an interim arrangement while preparations continued for the establishment of the dedicated body.
She also highlighted some interventions by the state government, including the distribution of wheelchairs to people with spinal cord injuries and the promotion of para-sports to encourage participation in sporting activities.
According to her, the government had partnered with the German development agency, GIZ, under the Tech for Youth initiative to develop an action plan aimed at equipping young persons with disabilities with digital skills.
Abdullahi represented Governor Yusuf at the event and received an award presented to him by the organisation in recognition of his administration’s efforts.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the forum, Comrade Yarima Ibrahim, said the organisation had brought together representatives from 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory to declare support for Tinubu and Yusuf ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ibrahim said the group was targeting five million votes for Tinubu across Northern Nigeria, adding that it planned to mobilise more supporters before the elections.
He attributed the endorsement partly to initiatives introduced by the Tinubu administration, including the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
However, the organisation called for greater representation of persons with disabilities in political appointments and government empowerment programmes.
Ibrahim said the forum was seeking the implementation of its demand for five per cent representation of persons with disabilities in political appointments, including ministerial positions at the federal level.
He added that Governor Yusuf had assured the group that his administration would provide a commissioner-level appointment for persons with disabilities if he secured re-election in 2027.
The group said its support for the two leaders was linked to expectations of improved inclusion, political representation and policies that address the needs of persons with disabilities.
