The National Assembly is more than ever before determined to address the needs of Nigerians with Disabilities to ensure greater socio economic opportunities.

The Assembly says it is aware of the plights of People with Disabilities, urging the civil society to work with the National Assembly in its determination to address the fundamental needs of People with Disabilities PWDs.

Its comment comes as no fewer than four million Nigerians currently live with disabilities, and are confronted with challenges of exclusion from social and economic opportunities.

Chairman House Committee on Disability, Doctor Bashiru Dawodu says the Assembly is deeply concerned about vulnerable communities including but not limited to PWDs.

Dawodu who represents Oshodi/Isolo federal constituency one made this known while presenting financial and enterprise empowerment to one thousand market men and women in Oshodi.

He advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the financial support, saying the present government would pay special attention to people in special needs.

According to him, he is partnering with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria to establish a structured and efficient micro, small and medium enterprises sector that will enhance sustainable economic development of Nigeria for the beneficiaries.

In the words, through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, the beneficiaries would form cooperative that would bring them together, meet regularly so as to build a formidable body that allows them access fund from banks and the government.

He assured the beneficiaries that he would personally fund and pay for their registration of the cooperatives societies to make it easier for them.

Dr Dawodu noted proper empowerment of entrepreneurs would create an extremely-powerful impacts on the nation’s economic growth.

He said due to lack of access to income earning opportunities and lack of capacity to take advantage of the opportunities, is a social malaise that is threatening global prosperity in general and national economic growth and development in particular.

According to representatives of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Small businesses, otherwise referred to as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are considered as one of the most critical sectors that grow nations through socio-economic developments.

In their words; SMEs are essential to the world economy and play a role in economic development, provides products and services, create value in an economy, drive industrialisation, develop skills of managers, create wealth for nations, and above all employ citizens of nations.

They said SMEs’ most crucial roles in economies are their ability to generate employment and spur socio-economic development, saying countries establish institutions/agencies aimed at supporting the growth and development of SMEs.

The SMEDAN representatives trained all the beneficiaries on how to register, form and fund cooperatives societies in their various marketplaces and communities.