The Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), has lauded Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki of Edo for signing the Disability Law in their states.
The Executive Director, CCD, Mr David Anyaele, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
We receive with great excitement the good news of the signing into law of the Abia State Disability Bill by Governor Okezie Ikpeaza bringing to a closure the demand of more than 400,000 people with disabilities in the state, he said.
Anyaele said that the legal framework will now protect citizens with disabilities in the state from discrimination and other harmful practices against them.
We commend Ikpeazu for his assent to this law thereby engraving his name as the first Governor in Abia State to sign a law that promote for the welfare of Abians with disabilities.
The signed disability law which is cited as the Abia State Commission for Persons with Disabilities Law 2022 has placed the state on the map of states that protects the rights of persons with disabilities.
The law would go a long way towards ensuring that government programs and activities do not exclude any citizen of the state by reason of disability,” he said
According to Anyaele, it was gratifying to record the good news from the state in favour of persons with disabilities, he added that the reign of exclusion, stigma, and isolation had come to an end.
He lauded the effort of Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, the Governor’s wife, for standing on behalf of the disability community in the state throughout the struggle for the passage of the disability law.
In the same vein, he commended the push and follow up by Chief John-Pedro Irokansi, the Clerk of the Abia House of Assembly to secure the assent of the governor on the bill.
Futhermore, Anyaele lauded Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo for signing the bill to ensure full integration of persons with disabilities into the society.
Anyaele said that the Obaseki administration had done well in also establishing the Edo State Commission for Persons With Disabilities and vesting in it the responsibility for PWDs education, healthcare and others.
The commission is vested with the protection of their social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights of personswithdisabilities.
The 2022 Disability Law for Edo State also provides for the prohibition of discrimination, prohibition of harmful treatment/practices, prohibition of cruelty and inhuman treatment.
Also access to public buildings and infrastructures, accessibility aids for public buildings, accessibility aids for public transport, non compliance to building code/plan, reserved spaces, right to first consideration in situations of risks.
And also first consideration in alll humanitarian emergencies,freedom of movement, prohibition of segregation, right to free education, free healthcare and others, he said.
The consistent push by the disability community in both states toward ensuring the asset to the law was worthy of emulation by other states yet to pass the law.
Anyaele also called on the leadership of the disability community in both states to synergise and build the capacities of relevant stakeholders and members on the provisions of the laws to ensure smooth implementation and execution.
Furthermore, he lauded the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent the Paul, British Council led Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) program for their support to the disability community in Edo State which cumulated to the passage and assent of the law.
He also commended the media for mainstreaming the plight and struggle of persons with disabilities in both states and the need for a legal frame work that had now come to fruition.