The Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Abia State Government over the state’s handling of matters relating to persons with disabilities in the state. The CCD expressed this dissatisfaction during its One-Days Stakeholders’ Forum on State of Persons with Disabilities in Abia State Capital, Umuahia on May 21, 2019.
In the communiqué sent to Inclusive New Network after the stakeholders’ forum, the dissatisfaction of the CCD includes non passage of Abia State Disability Bill by the Abia State House of Assembly. Also in its complaint is the discrimination and exclusion of SSA/SA to the Governor on Disability Matters during public functions of the State government, with little or no access for persons with disabilities at such events.
The CCD further called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazi of the Abia State to immediately support the passage of the disability law as it will protect the Abians with disabilities from discrimination and other harmful practices. It urged the governor to increase the number of disability persons that are Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants to the Governor on Disability Matters as well as called on the State Government to see Persons with Disabilities as equal stakeholders in the society and therefore mainstream them in every sphere of the society, but not to see issues concerning Persons with Disabilities from charity perspective.
The communiqué reads in part:
“We request the Governor to ensure that all appointments and employment opportunities in the State complies with the provision of Section 29 of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 on the reservation of at least 10% of such opportunities for Persons with Disabilities;
Request for the understanding of the peculiarities of Persons with Disabilities and the additional economic burden imposed on them by their conditions by approving the restoration of Disability Allowance for those in the Public Service of the State as obtainable in other States and to consider the payment of Disability Allowance to all Persons with Disabilities in the State.”
Read the Full communiqué as obtained by inclusive news network below:
Source: Inclusive New Network