Give Persons With Disabilities New Year Gift By Domesticating Law Against Discrimination, Activist Tells Governors

Agbo Christian Obiora, executive director, The Qualitative Magazine, a disability advocacy magazine, Wednesday, called on Southeast states yet to domesticate the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 to do so to give persons with disabilities a sense of belonging.

Agbo, founder, JOMIDA Foundation for Persons with Disabilities, told THE WHISTLER in Enugu, that, “The Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 that was enacted by the National Assembly in 2018 and signed by President Muhammadu Buhari should be domesticated in Southeast states that are yet to do.

“If it is domesticated, the law will protect persons with disabilities from harmful practices, guarantee job opportunities for them, and enhance their access to public infrastructure, such as public buildings, recreational centres and transportation.

“It will also improve their access to education, health, political participation, public life and above all, criminalize any form of discrimination against them on the basis of disabilities.

“I urge Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to blaze the trail in the region to give PWDs a new year’s gift by sending an executive bill of Enugu State Disability Right Law to the state assembly and sign it when the law eventually returns to him.

“When this is done and an agency is created to ensure that there is enforcement of the provisions of the law, then, the plight of PWDs will greatly improved.”

Agbo mentioned some states that have domesticated the law to include Lagos, Anambra, Plateau, Bauchi, Niger, Sokoto, Kano, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Jigawa and Kogi.

He added that, “Lagos, Plateau, Anambra and Bauchi states have already created agencies to enforce the law and execute programmes for the benefits of PWDs.

“Some have appointed PWDs as special advisers to guide the governors on the best ways to cater for PWDs

“Governors of Kogi, Anambra, Ekiti, Oyo, Imo, Sokoto, Kano, Niger, and Jigawa have all made such appointments and it has helped in guiding their states to formulate policies and programmes for the benefit of PWDs.”

He commended Gov Ugwuanyi for improving the plight of the PWDs in the state.

According to him, “The state governor has been kind enough to PWDs whenever they come calling, but the approach adopted by the state is charity approach.

“This approach is not bad, but it is further demeaning the status of PWDs and not really helping to enhance inherent potentials in PWDs because it encourages beggarly tendencies.

“The best approach is to embark on human capital development of PWDs and enhancing their opportunities through policies and adopting the right based approach which is the International best practices. It will guarantee a law protecting the PWDs, create quota of employment for them, and ensure more friendly environment for them to thrive in any of their chosen professions.

“I advise that conscious efforts be made to formulate policies targeting access to employment for PWDs , education, health and above all, there should be Enugu State Disability Right Law to make their needs a matter of right which will outlive this government and it will be legacy of this government.”