By Suyi Ayodele – Benin
A professional and pressure group, known as the Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria (ALDIN), on Tuesday called on the Edo State Government to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons Living with Disabilities Acts of 2018 in order to protect the rights of persons with disabilities in the state.
Making the call, the president of the group, Daniel Amechi Onwe, in a press briefing in Benin City, urged the state government to join states like Plateau, Lagos, Kano, Adamawa, Ekiti, Anambra, among others, who had since enacted disability laws.
He added that other states had disability bills pending at their respective Houses of Assembly, and urged the Edo State Government not to sit on the fence and watch the world move on.
“The discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act is an Act of the Nigerian National Assembly for every part of Nigeria, including Edo State.
“This is in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution which provide that the National Assembly shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Federation or any part thereof.
“Edo State is a part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, there is no excuse whatsoever for the people, organidations and the government of Edo State, henceforth, to conduct their affairs in violation of the provisions of this Act.
“Laws are meant to be obeyed. The government, organizations and the good people of Edo State need to demonstrate to the world that they are law abiding. It is imperative therefore, for
the government, organisation and my good people of Edo State to make definite commitments to comply with the provisions of this Act.
“States like Plateau, Lagos, Kano, Adamawa, Ekiti, Anambra, and others, have all since enacted disability laws. Many more other states have disability bills pending at their respective Houses of Assembly. Amidst these positive developments, Edo State cannot afford to be sitting on the fence and watch the world move on,” Onwe said.
He decried a situation where after the enactment of the PLWDs Act, 2018, people living with disabilities still suffer all for of discrimination.
