The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, David Anyaele, has hailed the governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, and his Edo counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, for signing disability laws in the states.
In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday, Anyaele noted that such law will protect people with disabilities from discrimination and harm.
He then called on full implementation of the signed laws to further improve on the welfare of PWDs.
The statement partly read, “We received with great excitement the good news of the signing into law of the Abia State Disability Bill by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu PhD bringing to a closure the demand by more than 400,000 people with disabilities in State for a legal framework that would protect them from discrimination and other harmful practices by reason of their disability.
“We commend Gov. Ikpeazu for his assent to this law thereby engraving his name as the first Governor in Abia State to sign a law that promote for the welfare of Abians with disabilities.”
Appreciating Obaseki, Anyaele said, “We equally commend Gov. Godwin Obaseki for the signing into law, a bill for a law to ensure full integration of persons with disabilities into the society and to establish Edo State Commission for Persons With Disabilities and vest it with responsibility for their education, healthcare and the protection of their social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, 2022.
“The disability law for Edo State provides for the Prohibition of discrimination, Prohibition of harmful treatment/practices, Prohibition of cruelty and inhuman treatment, Access to public buildings and infrastructures, Accessibility aids for Public Buildings, Accessibility aids for Public Transport, Non compliance to Building Code/Plan, Reserved Spaces, Right to first consideration in situations of risks and humanitarian emergencies, Freedom of Movement, Prohibition of Segregation, Right to Free Education, Free Healthcare etc.”
He called for full implementation of the law, saying, “The main job now is to secure full implementation. We call on the Clerks of Abia and Edo States Houses of Assembly to speedily gazette the laws to accelerate the full implementations.
“We are also calling for the two states to put in place mechanisms for the full implementation of the laws.”
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