TQM report,
The House Committee on Disability reaffirms their commitment to improving the lives of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The Chairman of the House Committee on Disability, R.T Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha, gave this assurance on Thursday in Abuja during a ROUNDTABLE ENGAGEMENT MEETING with House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Disability Community organized by The Albino Foundation (TAF) with the European Union to discuss the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities into every sector, most especially the Political Participation of PWDs.
Speaking at the event, she said that the Committee will work to ensure that at least 5% of persons with disabilities are empowered in every working sector, she said that in their oversighting, they will ensure that before they can approve any employment recruitment for any agencies, they will ensure that such agency have complied to 5% workforce for PWDs.
She frowned at Discriminatory remarks against PWDs seen in the Federal Road Safety Commission advertisement for employment, he informed that Nigeria Disability law did not exclude any agency be it paramilitary or otherwise. She said that the committee has been engaging the FRSC and if it is contented in the Act that establish FRSC, they can work out a way to synergize for the good of persons with disabilities, so as to empower, encourage and to ensure their inclusivity which can enable PWDs hold viable positions not just in power, but in other areas as well.
She said on rendering account of stewardship by the Committee, there is need to take cognizant of the jurisdiction of the Committee which includes ensuring the inclusion of PWDs in government policies and programmes, Oversight of the National Commission of Persons with Disabilities, Coordination for the implementation of National Disability Act, Coordination of the ratification and the domestication of Disability Law in the States, Coordinating and representing the House in Local and International conference and workshops, budget estimation and see to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.
She also said that the Committee within the time frame has embarked on the following,
- We have recommended at the floor of the House to call on relevant agencies to review the National Building Code to guarantee accessibility for PWDs to public buildings and places.
- We made input to the electoral bill that will make provision for PWDs in elections (the bill is undergoing harmonization between the two chambers of National Assembly).
- We have made proposals to the leadership of the house for all activities of the house, the plenary, public hearings and others to have sign language interpretation to carry along the Deaf people.
- We have proposed an amendment to Discrimination against Persons with disabilities (Prohibition) Act to seek for the establishment of a Disability Trust Fund. Disability Trust Fund will enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities, there would be funds to assist PWDs in education, health, social, economic and justice. (The Bill is awaiting second reading in the floor of the House)
- We have held an investigating hearing on Tuesday 22nd of June, 2021 on alleged violation of Discrimination against Persons with disabilities(Prohibition) Act, 2018 by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and Private Airline Operators. We have held several follow up meetings with the petitioners, the airlines and airport authorities and planning the final meeting where all the petitioners would be present and the airline operators to conclude and send the report to the House.
- We have led advocacy to ensure that all MDAs include the programmes of persons with disabilities in their 2022 budget proposal to enable them comply to the provision of Disability Act which mandate all agencies to include PWDs in the policies and programmes (for disability inclusive budgeting to take effect in 2022).
- The Committee have addressed the Nigerian Governors Forum on the need to domesticate Disability Law in the various States. We also sent a letter to all the Speakers for need to expedite action in the passage of disability rights bill and transmit them to their governors for their assent.
- We have participated in a retreat with members of disability community on disability inclusion organized by Sightsavers with the support from UKAID.
She informed that the Committee is making effort in the area of disability inclusion into political activities and offices by proposing a bill co-sponsored by Speaker and the Chairman of the Committee. The bill has passed second reading. The Bill if it becomes an act will mandate President, governors and other political office holders to give quota of appointment to PWDs. The quota would be sacrosanct and amounts to violation if it is not complying to.
She suggested that advocacy should be taken to INEC to mandate political parties to give quota to PWDs to run for office.
She spoke about their engagement with INEC to make provision for PWDs in the elections.
She further called for more collaboration and cooperation of organization of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to achieve the mandate towards inclusion of PWDs in the society.
The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James David Lalu, urged PWDs to get more involved in political parties and play active role during campaigns so that they can place demands for the disability community from the political party.
He said that he is living example of what it means to get involved in the politics as a person with disability. He has achieved a lot in politics, he counselled that PWDs would achieve more and get more from their demands when they are in politics.
He called on political office holders to mentor PWDs, appoint them as Special Advisers and get them to understudy them and through that way they can stand for election with the support of their principals.
The CEO and Founder of The Albino Foundation (TAF) in his welcome remark earlier commended the Speaker of House of Representative for constituting a House Committee for Disability which is first in the history of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Committee for visiting TAF office to engage PWDs which shows how committed and humbling on the part of the Chairman of the Committee.
He said that the meeting is crucial because it is designed to x-ray the disability act and constitution review to provide for the committee adequate information that they would be needing in discharge of their duties. They have become the voice of PWDs and PWDs should provide them with technical support to see them amplify the voice to the good of Disability Community.
He pointed at the electoral bill which PWDs have made a lot of input and urged the committee to see how they can mainstream these issues in the other committee processes to advance the disability inclusion.
Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja while discussing electoral Amendment Bill and Persons with disability inclusion pointed out areas that requires amendments that would enhance the participation of PWDs in elections.
Barrister Daniel Onwe, the President, Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria (ALDIN) recommended that electronic voting would improve the participation of PWDs in elections alongside making other provisions that will encourage PWDs to participate.
Agbo Chris Obiora, the Executive Director of The Qualitative magazine (TQM) in his speech agreed that the electronic voting would be helpful for PWDs because if PWDs can vote right from their homes, it will improve their participation, because insecurity is one of the factor hindering PWDs from participating in elections.
He also commended INEC for inclusion of disability status as option in the Voters Registration because it would go a long way to guide INEC in distribution of materials such as Magnifying glasses and Braille ballot guide.
He expressed worry about the priority voting because some disabilities are hidden such as Deaf persons and most people do not see persons with albinism as persons with disabilities and as such, they are denied priority voting, he suggested that security operatives should be educated about these set of PWDs so that they can as well accorded the privilege of priority voting.
The Chairman of the Committee demanded for the recommendations made by PWDs on electoral amendment bill to guide her committee when they would be engaging.
TQM learnt that the communique for the engagement would be forwarded to House of Committee on disability to serve as a guide for their engagement on the floor of the house and MDAs.
