End street begging, empower PWDs through education, technology – Ganduje

Former Governor of Kano State and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called for stronger intervention by the Nigerian government and development partners to support Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and curb street begging across the country.

Ganduje made the call in Abuja on Friday at an event organised by the NGO, Let’s Talk Humanity, to mark its 10th anniversary. The organisation focuses on supporting the deaf and blind while promoting a more inclusive society for PWDs. The event was themed, “Seen, Heard and Included.”

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Speaking at the event, Ganduje lamented the high rate of street begging, particularly in northern Nigeria, attributing it largely to a lack of support and opportunities for persons with disabilities. He stressed that investment in education and the provision of assistive devices would significantly reduce the trend.

The former Kano governor added that if initiatives like that of Let’s Talk Humanity are adopted by governments at all levels and supported by relevant partners, there would be a significant transformation in society.

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“I urge those in authority, I urge development partners, so that we can make a great change, so that those physically challenged can stop begging. They can be developed to the extent that they can even be employers of labour. They can be developed to the extent that they can be geniuses in various fields of endeavour,” he said.

Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, emphasised the need to adopt relevant technologies that would enable PWDs to navigate society more easily.

He also stressed the importance of consulting persons with disabilities at the design stage of assistive devices to ensure effectiveness.

“When we speak of technology as a bridge, we must recognise that for the global community of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), this bridge is often the difference between isolation and empowerment.

“Inclusion is not an option; it is not an afterthought; it is a design imperative. When we design assistive devices, this has to be done with people with disabilities at the design stage. If you wait until after development before adapting it for their use, it defeats the purpose.

“We must move towards a future where accessibility is key, moving away from retrofitting tools to building universal platforms that work for everyone from day one,” he said.

In her remarks, Founder and Executive Director of Let’s Talk Humanity, Fatima Ganduje Abiola-Ajimobi, described the initiative as a decade-long education programme focused on inclusive learning and digital skills, which is already yielding measurable results.

Mrs. Abiola-Ajimobi, who is also the daughter of the former Kano governor, Dr. Ganduje said the organisation’s model public school now graduates over a thousand students annually across primary, junior and senior secondary levels, all located on one campus.

“This initiative has had a ripple effect in the last 10 years. From inception, we have trained some of the top students and teachers. Year after year, this public school is turning out over a thousand students annually.

“It has primary, junior secondary and senior secondary sections all on the same campus. We have also impacted them in terms of entrepreneurship, because to be learned is to be able, and to be able is to be productive, and to be productive means to be financially stable.

“We have increased the enrolment of deaf and blind students, especially girls, including in higher institutions. Most importantly, our model provides an alternative to the almajiri crisis in northern Nigeria,” she said.

Abiola-Ajimobi disclosed that the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Kano State Government, with plans to expand partnerships to other states and organisations.

“We are collaborating with the Kano State Government and looking forward to more partnerships with other state governments,” she said.

Looking ahead, she revealed plans to establish a national resource centre for persons with visual impairments.

“Our projection for the next 10 years is to build a national resource centre for those with visual impairment, enabling them to tap into international knowledge and resources available in more advanced parts of the world in special needs education,” she said.

On her part, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, represented by her aide, Medina Adamu, stressed the importance of technology as a tool for inclusion.

“In an increasingly digital world, technology has become not just a tool but a powerful equaliser, capable of breaking barriers, providing access and amplifying voices that were once marginalised,” she said.

She commended the organisation for its efforts and reaffirmed the commitment of the FCT Administration to policies and programmes that promote inclusive education.

“We recognise that integrating technology into the education system is key to unlocking opportunities, particularly for Persons with Disabilities, underserved communities and young people who are the future drivers of our economy,” she added.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Vice Principal of Tudun Maliki School, Kano State, Ibrahim Umar Abdulkarim, who is visually impaired, described the initiative as a model worthy of emulation.

“Let’s Talk Humanity opens doors for governments across the federation and other NGOs to emulate the good works of Hajiya Fatima Ajimobi. Thank you for being a pioneer in humanitarian service,” he said.

The event also featured cultural performances by the FCT Deaf Troupe, as well as a panel discussion themed, “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Education, Technology and the Road to True Inclusion,” where participants called for greater societal inclusion and challenged misconceptions about persons with disabilities.

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