…Urges National Assembly To Screen NCPD Board Members Nominated By Buhari
The Centre for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) has stated emphatically that the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) was yet to be established.
David Anyaele, Executive Director of CCD, who stated this in a chat with Inclusive News Network, INN, said the disability community are eagerly anticipating the establishment.
He dismissed insinuations that the Commissioner had already been established, noting that what President Muhammadu Buhari did was to approve list of nominees for the Board of the Commission, which according to him, does not translate to it’s establishment.
“The nominees are yet to be screened by the Senate in line with the provisions of the Act. Anyone telling you that the board has been established, that person is deceiving his or herself.
“Therefore, I’m calling on the President of the Senate to screen the list of Nominees of the board of the NCPD without further delay and to enable the inauguration of the board of the commission,” Anyaele said.
He also called on stakeholders in the disability community to remain vigilance as they were get to arrive at the promised land.
“We must be prepared to hold the government accountable for the full implementation of the National Disability Act.
“There is need for awareness creation on the rights of persons with disabilities. This is in line with section 2 of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018. Awareness raising is critical as it is the lead way to enhancing behavioral change and negative public preciption of citizens with disabilities,” he said.
He also lamented that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Federal Government are not adhering to the directives of President Buhari in his June 12 address this year directing “all relevant Government agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of persons with disabilities in the formulation and implementation of their policies and programmes, and where suitable their employment”.
“Regrettably, this directive is being ignored by those in authority” Anyaele concluded.