Mbaitoli Lawmaker's Bill Seeking To End Stigmatization of Persons Living with Disabilities Scales Second Reading

 

Report By Chinyere Nnaemeka

A Bill for a Law to Repeal the Imo State Agency for Persons Living with Disabilities; Establishment Law No. 8 of 2017, and to Enact a Law to domesticate the discrimination against persons with Disabilities; Prohibition Act, 2018 in Imo State and for other related matters has passed through second reading.

The Bill which is divided into eleven parts and has 56 Sections was sponsored by the member representing Mbaitoli state Constituency in the Assembly, Hon. Innocent Ikpamezie and co-sponsored by six other lawmakers.

Speaking on the bill, Ikpamezie averred that the bill prohibites the discrimination against Persons Living with Disabilities and imposes sanction, including fines and prison sentences on those who contravenes it. 

He continued, "It also provides for the modifying of buildings, structures and automobiles to make them accessible and usable for the persons.

"In Abuja such provisions are being made for the special citizens, but that is not so in Imo State as I witnessed in one of the banks in the state how a person living with disability was ignored for hours as his wheelchair could not pass through the entrance door of the bank.

"The bill also provides for an agency responsible for ensuring that the sect get all the necessities of life. The agency will also be empowered to receive complains and violations of the right of the persons for proper legal actions to be taken in their defence.

"We know there is already a Law for the Persons Living with Disabilities, respectfully addressed as Special Citizens in Imo State, which was enacted in 2017, but it did not tackle all the need of the sect, hence the import of a more inclusive and detailed Bill.

"In 2011, and 2015 the National Assembly passed the Bill on Discrimination against Persons Living with Disabilities Prohibition Bill, but it was not signed into Law. It was finally signed into Law by former President Muhammed Buhari in January 2023.

"According to the World Health Organization in 2011, the World Disability Report indicates that about 15% of Nigerian population; 25 million Nigerians are living with disabilities and many of them face a number of human right abuse, including stigmatization, discrimination, violence, and lack of access to health care facilities, housing, education, among others.

"If you go to some secondary schools in Imo, both in the private and government schools, you will see that the special citizens are not given admission, reason being that they don't have teachers and facilities that will take care of them, Ikpamezie disclosed'.

He therefore called on the members to support the Bill so the discriminations will be addressed to make life better for the group.

"Let's make the special citizens feel the impact of the government, and give them a sense of belonging by stopping their stigmatization."