By Emmauel Ikheneboe,
June 17, 2023,
Following the passage into law of the Edo State Persons with Disabilities Bill, in July 2022, executive director of Network for the Advancement of Persons with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID), Melody Omosah has again commended governor Godwin Obaseki for assenting to the bill.
Omosah gave the commendation on Thursday during a one-day sensitization workshop on the rights and obligations of stakeholders under the Edo State Persons with Disabilities Law, 2022 held in Benin City, the state capital.
NAPVID, remarked that with the disability law in place, the state is among states in Nigeria that have established a legal framework that protects the rights of persons with disabilities.
“I want to commend his excellency, the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, for assenting to Edo State Law for Persons with Disabilities. History, indeed, will be very kind to him when his effort is mentioned in this regard”, he remarked.
According to him, the workshop is aimed at x-raying the contents of the law for stakeholders to recommend steps to be taken towards its actualization.
Declaring the workshop open, Osagie Obayuwana, a former attorney general and commissioner for Justice, called for the speedy implementation of the law.Obayuwana maintained that the law should not be left as a mere piece of document almost a year after it was assented to by the governor.
On her part, Ann Ojugo, chairperson of Edo State chapter of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), appealed to Obaseki for full implementation of the law to serve its purpose.
According to Ojugo, with its passage the state government has demonstrated that “people with disabilities deserve a better life, deserve to live well and be included in all aspect of life”.Other speakers include, Justice Peter Isibor (Rtd), Imonitie Omokhodion, ROLAC programme officer, as well as representatives of the ministries of justice, social development and gender issues, that of health and Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGOs).
