Inclusivity/Gender
CCD hosts workshop to boost disability-inclusive disaster preparedness in Abia
Written By: Ehioze Gilbert
24 Nov 2025 12:06 PM
Umuahia, Abia – In a proactive step toward building resilient communities, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) convened a pivotal one-day sensitisation workshop on disability-inclusive disaster preparedness for Local Government Area (LGA) officers in Abia State.
The event, held recently in Umuahia, underscored the urgent need to integrate the voices and needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) into climate change adaptation and grassroots disaster management strategies.
Organized by the CCD, a leading Nigerian non-profit dedicated to promoting inclusion and participation for PWDs, the workshop gathered over 50 participants, including representatives from various LGAs across Abia State, officials from key ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), leaders from disability clusters, and members of the media.
The diverse group engaged in interactive sessions focused on practical strategies to ensure PWDs are not sidelined in disaster planning, response, and recovery frameworks.
This workshop builds on CCD's longstanding advocacy in Abia State, where the organization has previously engaged PWDs in policy reviews and presented research on inclusive climate adaptation to bodies like the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). In July 2024, CCD's advocacy visit to SEMA Executive Secretary Dr. Sunny Jackson led to commitments for more accessible emergency response plans.
More recently, in April 2025, CCD facilitated a session on reviewing the state's climate change policy to embed PWD perspectives, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on disabled individuals.
Participants left the workshop equipped with actionable toolkits and a renewed call to action, to cascade these learnings to their respective LGAs and advocate for budget allocations that support inclusive disaster drills.
One attendee, a disability cluster leader from Umuahia North LGA, shared, "For too long, disasters have overlooked us. Today, we've gained the tools to change that narrative at the community level."
As Nigeria grapples with intensifying climate challenges from floods to erratic weather patterns, initiatives like this one signal a shift toward equity in resilience-building.
The event, held recently in Umuahia, underscored the urgent need to integrate the voices and needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) into climate change adaptation and grassroots disaster management strategies.
Organized by the CCD, a leading Nigerian non-profit dedicated to promoting inclusion and participation for PWDs, the workshop gathered over 50 participants, including representatives from various LGAs across Abia State, officials from key ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), leaders from disability clusters, and members of the media.
The diverse group engaged in interactive sessions focused on practical strategies to ensure PWDs are not sidelined in disaster planning, response, and recovery frameworks.
This workshop builds on CCD's longstanding advocacy in Abia State, where the organization has previously engaged PWDs in policy reviews and presented research on inclusive climate adaptation to bodies like the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). In July 2024, CCD's advocacy visit to SEMA Executive Secretary Dr. Sunny Jackson led to commitments for more accessible emergency response plans.
More recently, in April 2025, CCD facilitated a session on reviewing the state's climate change policy to embed PWD perspectives, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on disabled individuals.
Participants left the workshop equipped with actionable toolkits and a renewed call to action, to cascade these learnings to their respective LGAs and advocate for budget allocations that support inclusive disaster drills.
One attendee, a disability cluster leader from Umuahia North LGA, shared, "For too long, disasters have overlooked us. Today, we've gained the tools to change that narrative at the community level."
As Nigeria grapples with intensifying climate challenges from floods to erratic weather patterns, initiatives like this one signal a shift toward equity in resilience-building.
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