The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James David Lalu has reaffirmed that access to Justice by Persons with Disabilities can no longer be denied. Lalu made this disclosure while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association Lawyers’ Forum for Disabilities in his office today 31st, March 2022.
In appreciation, the ES thanked the group for devoting their time and resources to addressing issues that affect persons with disabilities in the society. He also mentioned that the forum is working in tandem with the mandate of the Commission on humanitarian grounds and deserves to be applauded.
He further hinted that the Commission is working assiduously to import Assistive Devices for Lawyers with disabilities for them to prove their mettle in courts of law.
“It is time to harvest the dividends of good governance as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari when he signed into law the Act prohibiting the discrimination against Persons with Disabilities in 2019, and that is why I am assuring you of the Commission’s readiness to partner with the Association so that we can reduce to the barest minimum the discrimination of PWDs in our country”.
The Executive Secretary also seized the occasion to appreciate the government of Kaduna State for establishing the Disability Trust Fund. He promised that the Commission will take time out to visit the Governor of Kaduna State, his Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to show appreciation for his kind gesture towards PWDs.
In an appreciative mood, the Chairman, NBA Lawyers With Disabilities Forum, Barrister Asia Ahmed El-Rufai expressed joy and excitement for the warm reception by the ES and congratulated him for his achievements so far in such a record time.
Asia El-Rufai further highlighted the mandate of the forum and spoke about their experience since inauguration.
“We have discovered that most of the Lawyers with Disabilities are exceptionally brilliant and have not given chance to any form of hindrance to their abilities”.
Barrister Ikem Uchegbulam, Director, Compliance & Enforcement (NCPWD) who is equally a member of the forum mentioned that the NBA conference which comes up around June- July will provide the needed platform for Lawyers with disabilities to have their views on the issues of litigation.
The Head, Legal Unit (NCPWD) Hajia Mariam Hassan-Saleh also informed the meeting of the commission’s recent partnership with the Nigeria police for enforcement of the 2018 disability law through the establishment of Desk offices across the zonal commands to handle cases of abuses and to prevent all kinds of discrimination.
