Yobe State House of Assembly has commenced moves to establish a board tagged ‘Differently abled persons’ board’.
A public hearing on the bill chaired by the chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, Social Development and Women Affairs, Hon Lawan Sani Inuwa, was held Monday at the assembly’s conference hall in Damaturu.
Lawan, as reported by daily trust, said the bill intended to harness the potentials of physically challenged persons to contribute their quota to the development of the state and the country at large.
The bill, with a total of 36 sections, harps on the composition of the board; welfare, safety and security, fair treatment and inclusion of the disabled in the state’s affairs.
In his submission, Comrade Abba Isa, the zonal disable leader, APC North East, questioned the name ‘Differently abled persons’, noting that the approved name by the UN is persons with disabilities.
However, Mr Kucici of Voice and Accountability, one of the bill’s implementation partners, said the UN acclaimed name ‘People Living with Disabilities’ sounded derogatory to the purpose of the particular bill.