The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) is to partner with the FCT Administration to secure shopping spheres for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to do their legitimate trading.

James Lalu, NCPWD executive secretary, said this when he received the leadership of Self-Reliance for Physically Challenged Traders Association of Nigeria (SPCTAN) led by the chair, Munnir Shehu, in Abuja.

The delegation was at the commission to register their concerns over the disruption of their businesses by the joint task force and submit a letter of appeal to the executive secretary addressed to the FCT minister.

The NCPWD executive secretary assured the visitor of his determination to support their course to ensure they have a decent livelihood. He commended members of Nigeria’s physically challenged traders association for being law-abiding in the pursuit of their businesses.

“I want to assure you that the complaint you bring about the disruption of your businesses will be presented to the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike. We will make sure that alternative means are provided for you to continue your legitimate business,” Mr Lalu said.

Mr Shehu said the association has at least 293 members doing legitimate businesses in the FCT and appealed to the FCTA to allocate shops for their members to enable decently do their businesses.

He said the appeal became necessary to take them off the streets to avoid further harassment and confrontation with the members of the environmental joint task force in the city.

“We have been put out of business for the past three to four weeks now. We don’t go to our business places. It really touched us because we are all human beings. We don’t engage in street begging,” he explained. “We are doing our legitimate business, and some of you who go around Berger, Bannex and other places will see us doing our legitimate business. Some of us earn N500 to N1,000 as gain daily and use it to sustain ourselves.”

(NAN)