by Agbo Chris
Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)’s 1st Commemoration of the passage of the Nigeria Disability continued on Tuesday with the engagement of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and different Disability Cluster Heads with the theme; Learning Lessons on Disability Rights Advocacy in Nigeria With CSOs /OPDs.
The Executive Director CCD, David Anyaele while speaking at the event said that it took 18 years struggle for Nigeria Disability Act to come into being and it is the commitment of CCD to ensure that the act is implemented therefore it is imperative that CCD keep tab with the relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the act. This is why this 1st Commemoration was organized so that stakeholders will be engaged to understand the provisions in the act and also to understand their roles and responsibilities to ensure that it is fully implemented. It is also to sensitize stakeholders to take ownership and also to celebrate the success stories of securing this act after 18 years of struggle. It is importance that we document our success stories because if we don’t do that the leaders that will come after us will not understand what was put in to achieve what they are enjoying. Speaking further, he said that inviting CSOs and OPDs is to share experiences with them to know the areas we did well and areas we didn’t do well in order to prepare ourselves for the task ahead which is ensuring that the act is fully implemented.
A documentary on the struggle for the passage of the act which was led by CCD was screened and Mr. David Anyaele also presented the provisions in the act.
The participants at the event emphasized that every stakeholder should make effort to have a copy of act read and understand the provisions very well in order to advocate in every given opportunity. They also lamented that majority of Nigerians are yet to know about the act and even those that know about it, don’t know much about the provisions. They suggested that Ministry of information and National Orientation Agency should be made to live up to their responsibilities as it is stipulated in the act. Again, every member of disability community was advised to read and understand the act in order to add their voice to the advocacy because the advocacy is not meant for CCD only.
On lessons learnt on the journey to actualization of the act, David Anyaele lamented on the way and manner greedy and selfishness hindered the progress of the disability community in the past that led to 18 years before the act was actualized. He called for synergy and collaboration among OPDs because OPDs are fond of doing the same project when there are so many other areas that they can explore for the community to achieve result faster. He called on OPDs to read more, apply the knowledge that they are getting from meetings in order to engage properly whenever the need arises.
Other participants like Barr. Okey Kanu and Theophilus Odaudu spoke on the unity among OPDs because they are of the opinion that if OPDs close ranks, they will achieve more and the fights don’t portray Nigerians with disabilities well in the international community.
CSOs pledged more commitment to disability issues and they demand that CCD should make the Act easily accessed. CCD boss in responding to this request, informed that CCD have concluded arrangement to launch an APP soon that there will be on Goggle Playstore so that one with android phone can easily access the act, other international laws on disability including policies and other frameworks on disability.
The participants also agreed that individuals should form advocacy groups within their locality to ensure that more awareness is created around this act.
The Qualitative Magazine learnt that CCD engagement with CSOs is to secure their commitment because it is fact that not much CSOs are interested in disability issues and if we are to achieve success in the implementation of act, all critical stakeholders must take ownership.
On Wednesday there will be engagement with the line ministries and government agencies to understand their roles and responsibility as regards to the implementation of National Disability Act.
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