• Says it’s the only enduring legacy any governor can bequeath to PWDs
‘Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), National Leader, PWDS, Hon Tolu Bankole has pleaded with governors to go beyond sympathizing with persons with disabilities to domesticating the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
Bankole noted that it is the only gift and enduring legacy any governor can bequeath to the PWDs community.
He stated this while delivering his address at the APC, PWDs National and Zonal Leaders interface yesterday, Friday, July 22 at the party’s national secretariat.
“I am passionately appealing to the state Governors, Speakers of State House of Assembly and distinguished stakeholders to ensure immediate passage and domestication of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 as signed by our dearest President Muhammad Buhari as a matter of urgency and life saving.
“The only gift and enduring legacy any governor can bequeath to the PWDs community is to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 in his state” he said.
In the communique issued at the end of the meeting by the PWDs leaders, President Muhammad Buhari was showered with encomiums for passing the Act. They promised continued support for the success of his administration.
“We thank immensely our great leader, the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces, President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR for assenting to the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill as passed by the National Assembly.
“President Buhari has shown commitment by his various intervention programmes for PWDs, that he is indeed a progressive leader and a man of history. We call on all clusters of PWDs in Nigeria and in diaspora to scale up their support for this great leader.”
Almost 43 months after the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, only 13 states have demonstrated measures to adopt the Act. They include Lagos, Anambra, Ekiti, Ondo, Plateau, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara and Niger.
“We call on the state governments yet to adopt the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act to do so without further delay. This is important because failure in this regard is tacit endorsement of discrimination and other harmful practices against persons with disabilities” he added.
APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, North East, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his inclusive leadership. “Since the amalgamation of Southern and Northern protectorates, there is no government that has impacted persons with disabilities like this government. APC has safeguarded the security and lives of over 31 million PWDs and must be commended. The governors must also toll this path and the place to begin is by passing the United Nations Convention on Persons with Disabilities” he noted.
Dr Nwachukwu Stanley, APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, South East said; “This is the only party in Nigeria that carries persons with disabilities along in the schemes of their things. About 31 million Nigerians with disabilities have no other party than APC.”
The communique issued was signed by: APC, National Leader, PWDs, Hon. ‘Tolu Bankole; APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, North East, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa; APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, North Central, Hon. Audu Lazarus Loho; APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, South East, Dr Nwachukwu Stanley; and APC, Zonal Leader, PWDs, North West, Hon. M. Lawal Na-Rogo.
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