Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has praised Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for signing Abia State Disability Bill into law.
The Executive Director, David Anyaele made the commendation in his office on Tuesday in Abuja.
“We received with great excitement the good news of the signing into law of the Abia State Disability Bill by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu PhD bringing to a closure the demand by more than 400,000 people with disabilities in State for a legal framework that would protect them from discrimination and other harmful practices by reason of their disability.
Mr. Anyaele commends Gov. Ikpeazu for assent to the law thereby engraving his name as the first Governor in Abia State to sign a law that promote for the welfare of Abians with disabilities.
According to him, “The signed Disability Law which is cited as the Abia State Commission for Persons with Disabilities Law 2022 has placed the State on the map of States that protects the rights of persons with disabilities.
“The law would go a long way towards ensuring that government programs and activities do not exclude any citizen of the State by reason of disability. It is gratifying to record this good news from Abia State in favour of persons with disabilities as the reign of exclusion, stigma, isolation of people with disabilities by State and none State actors have come to an end.
Anyaele also hails wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu PhD for standing on behalf of the disability community in the State throughout the struggle for the passage of this disability law.
“The push and follow up by the Clerk of the Abia State House of Assembly Chief John-Pedro Irokansi to secure the assent of the Governor on the bill deserves commendation. The consistent push by the disability community in Abia State towards ensuring that the assent of the Governor did not slip off their hands is worthy of emulation.
“The main job now is to secure full implementation. We call on the Clerk of Abia State House of Assembly to speedily gazette the law to accelerate the full implementation. We are also calling for the State to put in place mechanism for the full implementation of the law.”