September 19, 2024

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Health

Kaduna govt takes steps to mainstream persons with disabilities

By Mustapha Yauri

The Kaduna State Government says it will soon commence implementation of the Disability Act to strengthen equality and mainstream persons with disabilities.

Alhaji Zubairu Muktar, Special Adviser to Gov. Uba Sani on NGO matters, said that the act would also help to remove barriers in accessing services in public and private sectors.

Muktar spoke at the end of a strategic round table discussion and orientation of media houses on disability reporting in Zaria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the act was passed and signed by former Gov. Nazeer El-Rufai in Oct. 2021.

The programme was organised by Lafiya Project, a UK support in health transformation in Nigeria, in collaboration with SightSavers International.

Muktar, who expressed dismay over non-implementation of the Act, which had been signed into law since 2021, explained that he would meet with the governor within the week over the implementation.

He, therefore, restated the commitment of the current administration to ensure that persons with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone.

Earlier, Mr Monday Okwoli, Disability Inclusion Adviser, Sight Savers, an NGO, commended the state governor for the initiative.

Okwoli expressed the commitments of the NGO to strengthen partnership with the state government on the implementation of the Act.

According to him, available statistics from the National Demographic Health Survey indicated that about 9.7 per cent of Nigerians had different form of disabilities.

“This category of people with such a huge number cannot be relegated. Many of them lack access to public services such as education, health, empowerment and security empowerment programmes, among others,’’ he said.

Okwoli said one of the aims of the orientation was to build the capacity of the media to know the stigma and discrimination faced by persons with abilities while accessing public services.

He added that the programme was also aimed at getting the nod from the media so that they could come up with programmes that would amplify more visibility for persons with disabilities and ameliorate their challenges.

“Our belief is that, when there is adequate right information in the public domain, the stigma and discrimination faced by people with disabilities while accessing services would be eroded,’’ he said.

Hajiya Rakiya Umar, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board, commended the organisers of the programme and described the orientation workshop as educating and informative.

The executive secretary said implementation of the Disability Act would reduce barriers experienced by the person with disabilities and scale-up access to many services rendered by the board to its immediate constituency.

According to her, this action further denotes that more persons with disabilities will have improved access to empowerment from different centres of the board across the state.

“By implication, some of the people with disabilities, who are on the streets, would be rehabilitated,’’ she observed. (NAN)

Edited by Muftau Adediran/Muhammad Lawal

General News

Commission urges NASS to establish Disability Trust Fund

By Ahmed Ubandoma

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Bill for the establishment of Disability Trust Fund before it.

The Executive Secretary, Dr James Lalu, made the appeal at a two-day sensitisation of stakeholders on Disability Accessibility Regulations, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The event was organised by the NCPWD, in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme.

Lalu explained that the fund, if established, would enable the commission to implement disability-inclusive programmes and interventions to leave no one behind.

He added that the fund would also enable the commission to support states that were yet to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (prohibition) Act, 2018, to do so.

He also said that the Act, if domesticated across the states, would also make provisions for the Disability Trust Fund at the state level.

This, according to him, will encourage the states to implement their peculiar disability inclusive programmes, especially the enforcement of disability accessibility regulations.

“Most of the states have domesticated the disability law. Some even established agencies for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), but ensuring disability inclusion and accessibility for PwDs is capital intensive.

“In fact, some states have established disability institutions, but our interest in the disability trust fund is to raise funds to support states that are yet to domesticate the Act to do so,” he said.

In her remarks, Ms Brisca Aaron, the Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Agency for the Disabled Persons, pointed out that the state had already domesticated the disability prohibition act.

Aaron added that the state government had equally implemented the five percent employment quota for PwDs and commenced enforcement of the accessibility law.

According to her, the law was designed to ensures PwDs’ access to public infrastructure in the state.

Also speaking, Mr Monu El-Dad, Chairman, Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, reiterated the state government’s commitment to strengthen partnerships with stakeholders to advance the course of PwDs in the state. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng).

Edited by Philip Yatai

People living with disability
Business

Activist lauds FG on inclusiveness for PWDs

By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Christopher Nwanoro, a disability rights activist, has lauded the Federal Government for its efforts to ensure inclusiveness for the Disability Community in Nigeria.

Nwanoro, also the President, National Disability Empowerment Forum (NADEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) stated this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that the federal government had taken concrete steps toward ensuring that the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) were carried along in its various programmes.

“I must commend the federal government for signing the Violence Against Persons Act and the Disability Commission Act.

“Some states have also signed the Disability Rights Act, which is a right step in the right direction,” he said.

Nwanoro, a candidate for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), said that there were much still needed to be done to ensure inclusiveness for the Disability Community.

He said that the federal government had made some efforts to create the atmosphere for the PWDs to participate in the electoral processes.

“The government has made efforts to ensure that the PWDs can participate actively in the electoral processes but lack of funding and the the attitudes of some Nigerians have been the major challenge.

“Some Nigerians still don’t believe that the PWDs can participate actively in the electoral processes, win election and occupy political offices, this is a big challenge.

“Some times even women groups take advantage of the PWDs, when it comes to manipulation to achieve their aim.

“But the PWDs are more vulnerable than women and should not be categorised alongside the women,” he said.

Nwanoro added:“ In most cases, I have attended some international programmes where we meet with women and they use PWDs to get what they wanted.

“They will merge it up – affirmative action including women and people with disabilities but when the disabilities come, women take it all.

“So, when we are talking about vulnerability, we are more vulnerable than any other group.

“So we are fighting, trying, talking and reaching out to the government, parliarment and to individuals, organisations and the international community that persons with disabilities should be carried along because they have something to offer.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ali Baba Inuwa

General News

Reps advocate health insurance for persons with disabilities

By Folashade Akpan

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Disability, Bashiru Dawodu, has urged the implementation of health insurance for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

This plea was made during the Governance and Leadership Workshop for Appointed PWDs held in Abuja and organised by The Albino Foundation (TAF) Africa.

Dawodu emphasised the importance of providing assistive devices to those in need and ensuring accessible health insurance for PWDs.

He also highlighted the committee’s commitment to enforcing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, aiming to safeguard the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Addressing concerns of representation, Abdullahi Usman, National President of the Joint National Association of PWD (JONAPWD), stressed the significance of PWDs actively participating in policy-making.

He emphasised the slogan, “nothing about us without us,” highlighting the challenges faced by PWDs, particularly discrimination based on misconceptions about their capabilities.

The workshop, aimed at strengthening the personnel and organisational capacity of PWDs appointed to government positions, received praise from participants.

Dorathy Osaronu, a PWD and Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Rivers, commended the administration for recognising PWDs and stressed the need for inclusive policies.

Jake Epelle, Founder of TAF Africa, explained that the workshop focused on providing both mental and facility-based capacity to those appointed into political offices.

He emphasised the holistic nature of the campaign, which includes mentoring, monitoring, and evaluation of appointees to ensure their sustained contributions to society.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training seeks to foster inclusive governance, specifically targeting PWDs appointed at national and sub-national levels of government.

The campaign’s ultimate goal is to create a sustainable impact beyond the tenure of the current appointees, encouraging mentorship for future leaders in the disability community. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Josephine Obute/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

General News

Stakeholders unveil translated, simplified version of Disability Act

By Aderogba George

In a significant stride toward inclusivity, the Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN) and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) jointly unveiled the translated and simplified version of the 2018 Disability Act in Abuja.

The Act, originally in English, has now been made accessible in the three major Nigerian languages – Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba.

During the unveiling ceremony, Mr Sunday Udo, National Director of TLMN, highlighted the initiative’s purpose- breaking down language barriers to make crucial information available to all.

“Language should not be a barrier to knowledge and that is why the Act was simplified into the three major Nigeria languages to give everybody the sense of belonging.

“This significance accomplishment reflects our dedication to making information accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities; access to information is critical, it is a right,” he said.

Mr Chris Agbo, the Publisher of Qualitative Magazine, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to this transformative work.

However, he called for additional versions of the Act, specifically catering to other forms of disability, such as the deaf.

Agbo stressed the importance of reaching rural areas, where many individuals with disabilities may lack awareness of the Act’s provisions.

Acknowledging the need for widespread awareness, Mr Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability, emphasised President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to persons with disabilities.

He called for concerted efforts to bring awareness to the grassroots, where 80 per cent of persons with disabilities reside and often lack access to comprehensive information.

Malam Lanre-Issa Onilu, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), spoke about ongoing efforts since the Act’s signing, including public enlightenments and collaborations with Civil Society Organisations.

He was represented by Mrs Margaret Yenami, Assistant Director, Documentation, Translation and Publication in the agency.

The Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Mr James Lalu, announced plans to launch a bilateral relationship with NOA for orientation about disability rights in rural communities.

Highlighting legislative support, Mr Bashiru Dawodu, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Disability, disclosed that the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, recently approved the use of sign language in the chamber.

Dawodu affirmed the committee’s commitment to pushing for laws that promote the rights of persons with disabilities across the country. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Politics

Sokoto Assembly passes Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Bill

By Muhammad Nasir

The Sokoto State House of Assembly has passed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Bill.

This followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Social Welfare, Culture and Poverty Alleviation during Wednesday’s plenary.

Presenting the report, Committee Chairman, Alhaji Kabiru Dauda (APC- Gada East), said that the committee meet with all the relevant stakeholders before concluding the bill.

“During our meetings, the committee observed that some sections of the bill were unnecessary and irrelevant, while there was no need for table of contents as it was contained in the bill.

“Some sections of the bill were considered repetitive and some were not in conformity with modern techniques of legislative drafting and all technical, drafting and typographical errors were corrected,” he said.

The lawmakers unanimously adopted the report of the committee and passed the bill as the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Achida put the motion into a voice vote.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill was read for the first and second time on July 23, 2020 and referred to the House Committee on Social Welfare, Culture and Poverty Alleviation for scrutiny. (NAN)

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