REACTIONS to our last week story which was advice targeted at the next Republican President included calls from four presidential candidates after listening to my interviews on Zambia Nation Broadcasting Cooperation Radio 2.
Last Tuesday morning, my brother and friend Ahmed Mwape interviewed me and after the programme, some presidential candidates asked me to provide more information on how disability matters needed to be handled if moved to the office of the President.
Here is how the disability administration would function if placed in the office of the President; I should mention that this is now a standard system for effective service delivery to persons with disabilities the world over.
Establishing disability matters in the office of the president will ensure that all ministries and Government department automatically appoint disability focal point persons at senior level and ensure that issues of disability take centre stage within their programmes and policies.
Further, provincial permanent secretaries and district commissioner shall be focal point persons and take leading roles in the implementation of disability programmes.
This will mean that service delivery would be decentralised and the first point of contact would be the District Commissioner (DC)’s office.
The DC would then supervise the district coordinator who is a staff of Zambia Agency for persons with disabilities thereby showing fewer tiers in service delivery, wider span of service, a bottom-to-top flow of decision-making and flow of ideas at district level where clients are.
The creation of more districts by Government would also mean bringing this improved service to persons with disabilities closer and within communities and entails that Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) is positioned in the office of the President.
This would automatically have its coordinator at DC’s office and the District Commissioner will have delegated power to make decisions on behalf of the president.
I write like this with vast experience in this field, it is interesting that the Patriotic Front Government focused on centralised administration of Government for effective service delivery to the Zambian people.
I know that this has worked well in Namibia where disability is in the office of the Prime Minister and maybe we can learn from Namibia despite the fact that they learnt from us years back at Kangonga production centre in Ndola.
It has also worked very well in South Africa where disability administration is in the office of the President under the department of Women, youths. Botswana too learnt disability administration from Zambia.
It is sad that both countries looked at the Zambian disability administration before establishing their disability programmes and they have achieved more than us in terms of nation policy and service delivery.
The fact is that disability is a developmental issue and it must attract international support; the question, however, is why disability in Zambia has not attracted donor for the past 23 years? What is wrong with the current system, can our new Government move disability administration and let it be managed like any other sector of Government.
If disability administration has to work well in the office of the President, the new President must appoint inter ministerial committee on disability to advice the President and ensure that all agency of Government on disability work in line with its vision.
What should the Government do before moving disability administration in the office of the president?
Firstly, Government need to undertake job audit for staffs from Zambia Agency for persons with disabilities, National trust for the Disabled and National Vocational Rehabilitation centre.
This should include positions and qualification of job holders and their relevance to particular institution.
Secondly, conduct a wide stakeholder’s consultative meeting on sheltered employment and how best they can be reviewed in order to support institutional rehabilitation and employment.
Thirdly, reviewing all laws and statues governing disability administration in Zambia and align them to United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disability (UNCRPD) and advertising all positions which will result in having right people in positions for smooth disability administration and management.
It is a fact that disability management and administration has failed because it is in the wrong ministry.
The disabilities administration must be cross-cutting that is each ministry or agency of Government must have a component of disability within department or ministry activities supervised by agency responsible for the oversight and coordination of all services and supports provided by qualified people.
For me, this must be supported by all individuals with disabilities to have the most independence, choice and control over their own lives through person-centered service planning, delivery and increased provider capacity.
Government must coordinate homes and community services for all individuals so that each person can live and work in the neighborhood of his or her choosing, promotes health, wellness, a high quality of life through service coordination, monitoring, clinical supports, and a robust quality management system.
Though Zambia was one of the first in the nations in this part of Africa to establish centres for persons with disabilities, we seem to have gone wrong along the way.
As these centres provide and offer skills development and support to help persons with disabilities gain employment, some start businesses, attend level of independent living through effective rehabilitation programmes.
Repositioning will ensure that all these services are reviewed and benefit every disabled.
If disability administration was placed in the office of the President and have right personnel in office, the number of persons with disabilities in our streets will be reduced.
Real rehabilitation will be seen by all because Government has the capacity to provide services to persons with disabilities and make them realise their dreams.
May this proposal live that persons with disabilities in Zambia will not see disability as a barrier but a challenge?
One thing I love so much about the Patriotic Front Party is that it has the disability chapter in its manifesto for 2011 to 2016 and this is the first in Zambia to have a political party clearly outline its vision for persons with Disabilities, I hope more parties will learn from them.
The author is a Professor for ICOF Colleges Seminary and Universities, Disability policy Analyst for SADC and Inclusive Development Advisor for Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy, Johannesburg South Africa.
For comment and further formation contact cm@cddrlp.net Website: www.cddrlp.net
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