The Center for Citizens with Disabilities have urged the newly appointed aids of the Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to promote Disability-Inclusion in Abia state with the aim of addressing the challenges of disabled persons in the state.
The charge was made in a press statement signed by David Anyaele, Executive Director, CCD when he commended the Abia state governor for the appointments of Mr. Ekeoma Onwukwe Samuel as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Disability Matters; and Mrs Anthonia Ngozika Isiguzo as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Persons with Hearing Impairment in Abia State.
CCD also tasked the two appointees to use the “long awaited opportunity to support the government in addressing majority of barriers and challenges faced by PWDs in the entire State.”
The statement reads in part that, “we urge the two appointees to take full advantage of this noble office to support the Governor in mainstreaming disability issues in all government programs and activities as disability issue is crosscutting involving different Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”
CCD also called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu “to further extend this good gesture by taking appropriate measures to adopt the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 in Abia State in order to reduce the attitudinal, environmental and structural barriers that impede on PWDs access to public infrastructures, and participation in public affairs; as well as to improve their socioeconomic conditions.
“We further call on the Governor to support the appointees with reasonable accommodation, logistics, assign a supervisory State department to enable them function maximally as the two individuals are persons with different forms of disabilities – physically challenged and hearing impaired.
“We appeal to all organisations of, and for persons with disabilities, development partners and the private sector to support the Abia State Government in her ceaseless effort to protect its citizens with disabilities from discrimination and other harmful practices,” it added.
CCD also restated its commitment to provide technical support to the Abia State Government and the new appointees in mainstreaming of disabilities affairs in Abia State government programs and activities.
Anyaele in the press statement, stressed that the appointment showed the commitment of the Abia State Governor in promoting Disability issues, adding that “we are glad that the CCD project on Strengthening Persons with Disabilities Advocacy Capacity in Abia State which was supported by the Government and good people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is bearing quality results. With the appointments the voice of Abians with disabilities is becoming clearer on the policy table.”