By Tordue Salem
A Bill sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila to compel the President and state governors, to appoint persons with disabilities to the offices of Minister and state commissioners, has been passed in the Green Chamber.
The helmsman of the Green Chamber, seeks the enforcement of those rights, through a bill, entitled: “An Act to Amend the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for Inclusion and Protection of Persons with Disabilities, 2021.”
The bill which was passed on Thursday for third reading, seeks to amend section 147 to include the word “and shall include person with disabilities”, after the last word “state” in the last paragraph of subsection 3.
The Bill proposes that section 3 should read: “Any appointment. under Sub-section (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of sub-section 14(3) of this constitution.
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“Provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid, the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such Stars and shall include persons with disabilities.
“Section 151 is amended by including a new subsection (4) to read: The President while exercising the power conferred in subsection (1) of this section, shall include the person(s) with disabilities.
“Section 192 is amended by including a new subsection (6) to read: In the exercise of the powers conferred on the Governor of a State in this section, the appointment of person(s) with disabilities.
“Section 196, is amended by including a new subsection (5) to read: The Governor while exercising the power conferred in subsection 1 of this section, shall include the person(s) with disabilities.”
The 7th and 8th Assemblies, passed various legislations, protecting the rights of the disabled, but none of those legislations, have been as far-reaching as the current Bill sponsored by the Speaker.