…As Madam MacDella Opines for Inclusiveness
By: Jonathan O. Grigsby, Snr./Contributor Writer
The National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) in collaboration with various stakeholders has ended a one–day validation gathering on its (2026 – 2029) Four Year Strategic Plan to change the narrative of people of the disabled community in Liberia.
It was held recently at the NCD Head Office in Congo Town, Montserrado County.
The Plan is to direct (NCD) in contributing to the National Development Plan of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and strengthen the Government’s commitment to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD.
It is to provide guidelines for implementing priority interventions, strengthen efficiency in service delivery to Persons with disabilities (PWDs) through the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPWDs).
The Plan also seeks to enhance collaboration and coordination with public and private institutions and integral partners as well as (OPWD’s) milestones, like vocational training, advocacy and community-based rehabilitation into national strategies.
Moreover, the NCD’s Strategic Plan, among other things focuses to address access to quality education, unemployment rate of PWDs, access to healthcare services, facilities are physically inaccessible including stigma and discrimination.
According to the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) Program Manager, Mohammed Sackor, the Plan also take into consideration education, employment, and healthcare, including social and economic inclusion and gender disparities.
Besides, Mr. Sackor explained that the document focuses on key areas including institutional and policy reforms, regulatory frameworks, and staff capacity-building initiatives.
He added that the Strategic Plan also identifies major challenges affecting persons with disabilities and outlines practical approaches to effectively address those issues, with the goal of improving inclusion and participation nationwide.
Speaking earlier, NCD Executive Director, Apostles Dr. J. Aaron Wright, Jr., indicated that the National Strategic Plan for Disability Inclusive Development Programs (2026–2029) represents the collective priorities of all persons with disabilities and calls for a firm national commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully included in Liberia’s social, economic, and political development.
Apostles Dr. Wright, Jr., emphasized that it moves the country from intention to action by providing a coordinated framework that prioritizes rights, dignity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.
Meanwhile, in a special statement delivered on behalf of the president, the Political Advisor to President Joseph Boakai, Madam MacDella Cooper, repeated the government’s commitment to removing barriers and creating equal opportunities for persons with disabilities across Liberia.
Madam Cooper emphasized: “That people living with disabilities possess talents, ideas, and strengths that are vital to national growth, describing them as an integral part of Liberia’s development process”.
She stressed that persons with disabilities must not be sidelined in the country’s development journey, but rather fully included in all aspects of national planning and progress.
“Inclusion of persons with disabilities is not an act of goodwill but a shared responsibility that must be embraced by all Liberians, underscoring that true development can only be achieved when no segment of society is left behind”, Madam Cooper.
She made these remarks recently during a one-day validation workshop for the National Commission on Disabilities’ four-year Strategic Plan, held in Congo Town.
At the event, the Political Advisor to President Joseph Boakai, highlighted the government’s ARREST Agenda, noting that inclusive development remains a core priority of the Bookia’s administration. National Commission on Disabilities (NCD)The NCD is a statutory body of the Government of Liberia, which is responsible for coordinating, regulate, advocate, and solicit supports for persons with disabilities in the Republic of Liberia.
It was established by an Act of Legislation in November 2005 and printed into Hand Bill in December 2005. Since its establishment, the Commission has consistently carried out the task of protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.
