TAF Africa urges journalists to advance disability rights, social change in Nigeria

 TAF Africa urges journalists to advance disability rights, social change in Nigeria 

Disability

By Ifeanyi Olannye 

Asaba, Feb. 5, 2026(NAN) TAF Africa, a Non-Governmental Organisation, and a disability inclusion champion, has urged the media to advance disability rights and drive social change in Nigeria.

TAF Africa gave the charge on Thursday via its D-RAPID Project: at a 2-Day Capacity Building Training for Journalists on Disability Discrimination (Prohibition) Act in Asaba, Delta.

In an interview, Dr Andrew Adaji, TAF Africa,  Project Coordinator in Delta, said the training was part of the project implemention called "D-RAPID Project in Delta.

He said: "The D-RAPID Project is founded by the Europian Union through Christian Blind Mission and this project is being completed in Delta and Benue states. 

"In Delta, TAF Africa is implementing while the National Women Trust Fund is implementing the project in Benue".

He noted that the training was aimed equipping journalists with the position of the law to enable them create the needed  awareness for people to know their rights and to ensure that the state government implemented the established national act.

He said that the issue of disability remains a national challenge, adding that after the United Nations convention for the Right of Persons With Disability(PWDs), Nigeria government signed into that treaty and established an act which most states have domesticated including Delta. 

According to Adaji, the established national act provided for five per cent inclusion of persons with disability in government programmes including employment.

"This training has become necessary because Delta state has passed the disability law but many people are not aware of the law.

"So, we believe that if we bring in journalists and train them, they will bring that awareness about the law in Delta.

"The national act says that for employment, five per cent goes for person with disability, so, the challenge we have for Delta is that the state is still implementing only one per cent of every 100 persons for inclusion of PWDs in its employment.

"This has to change because the implication is that if the state government is employing less than a 100 persons, no person with disability will be employed in Delta.

"So, we are saying no, let it be that five per cent flat on any number of persons to be employed in Delta as provided in the national act. 

Also, Ms Lynn Agwnncha, Senior Communication Officer, TAF Africa, said Journalists should explore the provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to equip themselves and make relevant request from responsible institutions to drive the inclusion and eliminate discrimination against PWDs.

"So, for this training, we believe that there is a problem with the media framing of persons with disabilities.

"The media has the education function beyond entertainment, they inform the public, educate and challenge stereotypes but the media so far have not done a fair job on how they present persons with disabilities.

"Persons with disabilities are often presented as beggers, they approach disability issues from a place of charity not from a place of right. 

"So, that is why we organised this training to enable journalists shift and make their reporting of disabilities as rights based, integrity and not condescending for PWDs," she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 40 journalists were trained on Delta disability law, targeted at equipping the media with the right tools to advance disability inclusion in the state.

The participants pledged their support and commitment to drive the process and to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in the state.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng).