The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has demanded that Nigerian States that are yet to domesticate the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act should do so, four years after the law has been passed at the national level.
CCD made the call in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David O. Anyaele in commemoration of the 4th Anniversary of the passage of the Act.
Anyaele who commended President Muhammadu Buhari and other states that have domesticated the law emphasized that it is important for other states to follow suit, with the aim of addressing the discrimination and harmful practices against persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Anyaele said, “we are calling on Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ogun, Osun, Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Rivers, Taraba, and Yobe States government to demonstrate that the lives of persons with disabilities matter by adopting that National Disability Law.”
He thereafter noted that the CCD will be organizing the 4th anniversary of the passage of the Act as an “opportunity to remind governments at Federal, State, and Local Government levels, as well as the private sectors that we have 12 months to the end of the moratorium for the full compliance to specific provisions of the Act.”
The one-week event would be held in Abuja with the theme ‘2023 General Elections and Beyond: Creating The Future We Desire for Citizens with Disabilities.
The primary objective of the anniversary according to Anyaele is to “brainstorm with State and non-State institutions on their roles and responsibilities for full compliance with the provisions of the Disability Act.”
Participants expected at this event include Heads of Ministries, departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Chairman Committees of the National Assembly, heads of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, local and international development partners, leaders of civil society organizations, and the media. It is also expected that at the end of the event, stakeholders would identify costless approaches for full compliance with the provisions of the Disability Act; and identify opportunities for collaboration to ensure no one is left behind in the development agenda by reason of his or her disability.