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The former Commissioner of women affairs commission in edo state Hon Dr Florence Igbinigie has called on edos resident to remember the persons with disability at the time of Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
The former Commissioner made this statement at Christmas celebration party for persons with disability, put together by christabel Otueroro foundation.
Dr Florence Igbinigie former Commissioner of women affairs commission.
Speaking to our correspondent Osunde Osaigbovo Massy, Hon Igbinigie appeal to the state government to sign the disability bill into law as ways to show love, and make them feel important as we celebrate Christmas.
Mr Kingsley Eromonsele Chairman of Association for the deaf.
On his part Chairman of Association for the deaf Mr Kingsley Eromonsele demmand for Edo state government to set up disability act to see the light of the day for disability person.
Onome Otueroro executive director christabel Otueroro foundation.
Speaking further, Mr. Otueroro said "We are doing this to promote inclusiveness because every child matters and deserves equal right to access the world irrespective of their birth conditions".
He also called for more supports for people with people with disabilities " I want to use this opportunity to solicit more supports from the public and stakeholders for children with special needs because really these people, their families and caregivers need the supports to alleviate the suffering they go through".
Since 2012, when the attention of the relevant authorities was first drawn through a proposal to enact a law seeking to end all forms of domesticated discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, there had been a fizzling hopes for the disabilities in Edo State.
Recall that, on January 23, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari, signed into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, Prohibition Act, 2018, following 9 years of relentless advocacy by disability rights groups and activists.
The Bill provides, as parts for the removal of the barrier that hinders citizens with disabilities from participating in the electoral process on an equal basis with others.
According to the World Health Organization’s 2020 World Disability Report, With a population of over 140 million, Nigeria has approximately over 27 million people living with some forms of disability.
Many of them, according to the record obtained, face a number of human rights abuses including stigma, discrimination, violence, and lack of access to healthcare, housing, and education.
However, Nigeria ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities CRPD in 2007 and its Optional Protocol in 2010.
Since then, civil society groups and people with disabilities had remained on the street calling on the government to put it into practice.
In 2011 and 2015, the National Assembly passed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Bill 2009, but former President Goodluck Jonathan declined to sign it into law.
The bill for the new law was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate joint committee in November 2016, but was not allegedly sent to Buhari for his signature until December 2018.
On January 17, President Muhammadu Buhari openly denied on national television that he had received the bill.
A development that left Hundreds of people protesting, living the president with no option than to sign the concocted bill into law five days after the protest.
In Edo State, no reason is strong enough to be considered explainable by those who would have made this work, given the number of years it has crawled to get it assented.
The disability bill is an executive bill, and the onus falls within the office of the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who is yet to assent to it.
In these categories of persons who need the bill urgently addressed are; the vision Impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, mental health conditions, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, physical disability.
The explainable delays by Governor Godwin Obaseki have become a source of concern for these, their families and civil society agitators.
Sometimes this year 2021, a front liner in the business of ensuring that all stigmatized disabilities are protected in Edo State, Comrade Ann Ojuigo, re-echoed calls for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance and other aspects of their living conditions.
Ojuigo frowned at how their plights had been neglected over the years, even as she noted that, the bill should become a law, so they can have an enabling environment for comfort.
Comrade Ojuigo stated this, at an event with the theme, “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world,” held to commemorate international day for the disability marked annually on December 3.
The Edo State House of Assembly within its capacities, promised to pass it as soon as it gets to them.
The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki who spoke through a representative during the commemoration of the international day for the disabilities promised to pass it as soon as he resumes with executive members to deliberate on it in 2022.
In another breath, Edo State Government said it would establish specialized courts for the speedy trial of rape and other sexual offenses and gender-based violence in the state.
Edo First Lady and Chairperson of Edo State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Betsy Obaseki, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Benin City sometimes in October 2021.
Restating the government’s efforts at ending all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in the state, she reassured that special judges would be assigned to the courts.
Although these promises had been on for years, it's perceived that government of Edo State will reflect on the agonies of the disabilities and assent to the bill by 2022.
As a global concern to enact a law that will confront stigmatization of the disability, some states, including, Lagos, Plateau and many others, have since taking the lead in their various states to make it a law.
Persons with disabilities under the umbrella of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, on Thursday, urged the Edo State government to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act, 2018.
In a recent development, the former Commissioner for women affairs, Edo State, Hon Dr Florence Igbinigie also joined the league of other civil rights groups calling on Edo resident to remember persons with disabilities during Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
Speaking to newsmen recently, Hon Igbinigie appealed to the State Government to sign the disability's bill into law as a way to show love, and make them feel important during the yuletide.
With calls rising and several reassurances on the part of Edo State government, there seems to be hopes for the disabilities in the State not only to be engaged in governance, but get their wishes any time sooner.
But the question remains; which of the governments are we expecting to get the discriminating Bill signed into law?
Is it the one who left it unattended to, since President Muhammadu Buhari enacted it as a law in 2018, or the one to come after the tenure of the incumbent government in 2024?
We would have to wait to fry until crisp and curled are achieved in the many reassurances to get the discriminating disability's bill signed into law.
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