Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
Kogi State government has been urged to initiate and draft a bill for the establishment of State Disability Commission because of years of relentless advocacy by human rights groups and organizations of Persons with Disability (OPDs).
Already the Nigerian Disability Act has been passed into law by the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 28th,2018, and signed into law by the President on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019.
Mr.Suleiman Akinremi, Chairman of Southwest Nigeria Association of the deaf, who was the guest speaker at the celebration of the year 2021 International day for persons with disabilities, made the call while speaking during the ceremony in Lokoja on Friday
Akinremi explained that this seeks to criminalize discrimination against persons with disabilities and it was no small feat as it is Nigeria’s first step in its fulfillment of obligations as a signatory to the U.N’s Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD).
He pointed out that the six states in the Southwest had since signed the disability bill and established commissions for persons with disabilities in their respective states.
“It now behooves the Kogi State Government and all human rights advocates and activists in Kogi state to take steps toward drafting the state’s own Disability Bill, being an independent arm of government.
“This is necessary to ensure equal treatment and participation of people with disabilities across the state and elevate the progressive image of Kogi state.” He said.
He described disability as the consequences of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental sensory, emotional development, or some combination of these, stressing that the World Health Organization (WHO) defines as the umbrella term, covering impairment, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs.Fatima Kabir Buba, said that people with disabilities are a very important segment of our population that requires special treatment, saying that statistics have it that over one billion persons throughout the world live with one form of disability or the other.
She considering the large population of those living with disabilities, the United Nations opted for a day (3rd December every year) for which the global community would come together to promote awareness and mobilize support for all
persons with disabilities.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr. Aleni Emmanuel Allenclay noted that on September 23rd, 2013 the UN General Assembly convened the first historic high-level meeting on disability and development aimed at creating a fully disabled agenda inclusive society.
“The theme for this year’s celebration is Leadership and Participation of People with Disabilities Towards an Inclusive Accessible and Sustainable post-Covid 19 World”.
The Commissioner pointed out that hence a total number of over 200 Persons With Disabilities got Covid 19.Palliative of N5, 000 -N10,000 this Year.
“The Administration of new direction agenda under the leadership of His Excellency the Governor of Kogi State Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello is working assiduously towards a new liaise of life to People Living With Disabilities in the area of education, health care, empowerment, and legal support system as well as mainstream them into the state development plan.
“At this juncture, I urge every indigene and non-indigenes of Kogi State in government, business, civil societies, and all walks of life to join hands with us to build an inclusive society suitable for all.”
