C4C Plans to Make Disabled Enjoy e-Payment

People with different functional limitations, otherwise people with disabilities in Nigeria will soon have the chance to compensate for their limitations, thanks to a new information and Communications technologies (ICT) plan of action that seek to enhance their social and economic integration in communities by enlarging the scope of activities available to them, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations has revealed.
By collaborating with other institutions that share concerns of people with disabilities, the plan being spearheaded by Coalition for Change (C4C), non-governmental organization hopes to integrate these Nigerians in the burgeoning e-payment, e-banking, e-registration and e-health programmes.
C4C represents a new departure for development initiatives in Nigeria and seeks to build bridges between different interest groups to help create a more conducive climate of communication and cooperation to help Nigeria ultimately improve livelihoods by meeting the Millenium Development Goals..
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that over 13 percent of Nigeria’s population suffers from a variety of disabilities excluding them from the promises and opportunities offered by information and communication technologies.
Disability can take many forms and can cover a wide range of impairments - some people have sensory disabilities covering difficulties with hearing, speech and sight; others are physically disabled and have problems with mobility; some suffer from cognitive impairments such as dyslexia and learning difficulties and there are those who battle with the debilitating effects of diseases such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis
With proper education and training, experts believe that ICTs have the potential to make significant improvements in the lives of these persons.
Khadijat Baba-Mohammad, project manager, C4C, said that the blind if trained on ICT can handle and work just like the deaf.
According to Baba-Mohammad, stakeholders in partnership with the government can organize training workshops for the disabled on ICTs to enable them take part in the various e-programmes.
She therefore urged the law markers to quickly pass the right of those persons with disability, so that they will be opportune to work and be trained as specialist in many areas.
Danlami .U. Basheru, Esq, national president, Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities agreed that ICT knowledge will help shake off the shackles of discrimination, marginalization, exploitation and stigmatization being experienced by disabled people.