Persons with disabilities in Abia State have called out the Rt. Hon. Chinedu Orji led 7th Abia State House of Assembly for its failure to assent the Abia State Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities bill into law.
Leader of the protesters, Former Chairman, Abia State chapter of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Chief Enyinnaya Madumere, while speaking to newsmen gathered at the House of Assembly gate said: “We are now in the Abia state house of assembly, we have decided to stay here and cook our food until the State house of assembly pass the disability act into law.
“The humiliation and discrimination against persons with disability is enormous. This is kitchen for us, we will be cooking here to serve people who are in the protest for the passage of the disability act”.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedu Orji had on 29 March, 2021 assured that the 7th Assembly was working towards passing the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Bill shortly after the Easter break when the management of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), paid him a courtesy visit in Umuahia.
INN gathered that one year and three months after, the Abia State Discrimination against persons with disabilities bill is still gathering dust in the hallowed chambers.
Photo of CCD’s visit to Speaker, Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedu Orji in Umuahia on 29 March, 2021
In his solidarity expression of support to the protesters, the Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David Anyaele recalled “ I visited the Speaker on the 29th of March 2021 with an appeal to support more than 400,000 Abians with disabilities by passing the Disability Rights Bill.
“Rt. Hon. Chinedu Orji promised that he would do that within the first week after resumption from the Easter holidays. All efforts to remind him of his promise has proved unsuccessful.
Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu visited the Speaker with the same appeal
“It got to the extent where wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu had to visit the Speaker with the same appeal to pass the Abia State Disability Bill yet no positive response.
“I don’t know why Abia State is so unlucky with democratic governance, in particular, Abians with disabilities.”
Anyaele lamented: “This is how the Rt. Hon. Chinedu Orji led Abia State House of Assembly has reduced Persons with Disabilities in the State.”