A call for Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State to domesticate the disability bill before bowing out of office on May 29, 2023, has been made.
The call was made on Wednesday by the state leadership of the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, at a gathering organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for media practitioners in the state.
Making the demand through their state chairman, Dr. Joseph Gimba, the group said a draft of the bill will be made available to the ministry to get the bill domesticated.
The bill if domesticated, would provide inclusiveness for people with disabilities in the nooks and crannies of the state.
Vowing not to backtrack pending when the bill sees the light of day, Gimba sought the establishment of a commission for people with disabilities in Taraba State.
Apart from appointing a person with a disability to preside over the affairs of the commission as the Executive Secretary, they are demanding that the majority of the staff of the commission, be people with disability.
Citing the neighbouring states of Adamawa and Gombe, as well as Abia State, which have domesticated the Disability bill, Gimba expressed the belief that it has become necessary for the Taraba government to tread the same path.
Domesticating the bill before the expiration of his tenure would be one of the vital legacies, the incumbent governor would leave behind for Tarabans, Gimba said.
Responding, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Solomon Elisha noted that the Coalition has always been there for the government, saying, “we have always been looking at ourselves as partners in progress”.
The Commissioner expressed Governor Ishaku’s commitment to completing and commissioning all projects before biding farewell to Taraban.
He said, “we have slowed down in the areas of administration to complete all our capital projects before leaving the office.”
