by Chris Agbo
Centre for Citizens with Disabilities(CCD) on 21st May, 2019 organized a One day Stakeholders Forum on the state of Persons with Disabilities in Abia State. This programme is in line with CCD activities on Strengthening Persons with Disabilities’ Advocacy Capacity in Nigeria which is supported by the government and good people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The event was attended by former Senior Special Assistant and Special Assistants to the Governor of Abia State on Disability Affairs, Chairman and Executive members of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, representatives of the Nigeria National Association of Deaf, National Association of Blind, the Albino Foundation, National Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, the President of Para-Badminton, CCD staff among others. The programme was organized to build the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to be developed in the field of lobbying and advocacy, in order to contribute to a strong and lively civil society which holds the public and private sector accountable. It tends to improve OPDs capacity to create change in areas critical to the wellbeing of their constituency; improve collaboration between OPDs, CSOs and State actors on good governance and accountability; and raise awareness on advocacy/lobby activities of CSOs among state and non-state actors. Notable guests at the event were Mr. David O. Anyaele, Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Mr. Felix Opara, Director, Rehabilitation, Abia State Ministry of Strategy and Social Development, Mr. Stanley Onyebuchi, Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities and Ms. Uloma Uwadoka, Programme Assistant, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD). At the course of intensive discussions at the event, some vital observations were made. They were (a) The governor of Abia State was commended for appointing 8 persons with disabilities as Senior Special Assistants on Disability, and women with disability matters, (b)The governor was also commended for carrying out some empowerment programmes in favour of people with disabilities in all the 17 local government of Abia State.(C) The governor was applauded for recognizing sports as an important tool for integration and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in Abia State especially the government effort in engaging people with disabilities in para sport.
Inspite of these commendations, the participants raised some concerns which they expect some improvement. These were some of the concerns raised; the inability of the Abia State House of Assembly to pass Abia State Disability Bill even as their tenure is almost coming an end, the forum expressed their displeasure over discrimination and exclusion of SSA/ SA to the Governor on Disability Matters during public function of the State government, with little or no access for persons with disabilities at such events, the forum were disappointed that Political Appointees with disabilities were not supported with reasonable accommodation to aid their function as an appointee to the Abia State Governor and they expressed concern that these political appointees are not united to the extent that they are working at cross purposes which has affected the delivery of dividends of democracy to Abians with Disabilities.
The forum going forward made some salient recommendations to improve the lots of Abians with disabilities:
- The Governor should as a matter of necessity support the passage of a law that would protect Abians with disabilities from discrimination and other harmful practices
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- The forum demands that the State Government should see Persons with Disabilities as equal stakeholders in the society and therefore mainstream them in every sphere of the society, but not to see issues concerning Persons with Disabilities from charity perspective.
- The forum requested that the Governor should ensure that all appointments and employment opportunities in the State complies with the provision of Section 29 of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 on the reservation of at least 10% of such opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
- All political appointees with disabilities in the State should see their appointments as a call to service towards ameliorating the conditions of Persons with Disabilities in the State, but not to see their appointments as personal to them.
- All political appointees with disabilities in the state must work in harmony and synergy towards improving the lot of the disability community in the State, not to work at cross purposes.
