Benue, only state yet to domesticate Disability Act in N’Central – IFA

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The Executive Director of the Inclusive Friends Association, Grace Jerry, again solicited the support of the Benue State Government towards domesticating the disability act in the state.

Jerry who led a team of stakeholders to the Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Deborah Aber, and Director-General of Budget and Planning  Commission in the state, Prof Jerome Andohol, over the weekend, lamented that the failure of the state to domesticate the act in Benue made persons living with disabilities vulnerable to exclusion.

While emphasising the need to domesticate the act in the state with adequate budget allocation to the project, she disclosed that only Benue has yet to domesticate the act in the North-Central geo political zone.

Thus, Jerry seized the opportunity of the visit to solicit the support of the top government officials to help push for the enactment of the draft bill already before the state executive.

She said, “The Disability Act is yet to be domesticated in the state and we have seen how much it has affected  persons with disabilities in the state because they are still vulnerable to  exclusion and the reason is that  there is no law that mandates any key sector to push them in the right direction.

“Of all the states in the North-Central, Benue State remains the only state yet to domesticate this disability act.”

She further explained that efforts to ensure that the act, which was enacted by former president, Muhammadu Buhari was domesticated in the state, led her and the group to embark on a couple of  advocacy visits to the state to push the bill through.

Jerry said, “It is for this reason that we team up with the disability association in the state chapter, the  media and other stakeholders, including the one major person that has been working towards this in this state; the State Attorney General whom we have also met to help us to push the bill to become a reality in the state.

“We identified your office as another of the critical offices to help us as a mother who understands the challenges of people who are excluded from particular efforts in society. We have come to you as a mother to see what you can do to see that the state domesticates this act and to also use your good office as well to help push this and pass it to the governor.”

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the governor on disability, Bem  Anshe

regretted that the past administration did not do anything to ensure the domestication of the bill despite all efforts and, as such, expressed deep assurance that the present administration will help in domesticating the act in the state.

In her response, the Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Deborah Aber, who said she recognised the importance of the Act, hailed the team for pursuing “a worthy course.”

Aber stressed that the bill, which was already presented before the State Executive Council, would soon be worked upon in a bid to ensure its domestication.

The SSG also reiterated the commitment of the Alia administration on the needs of persons with disabilities in the state, being the reason the governor had given them due attention.

“I have it on a good footing that the Attorney General did not only have the draft bill but has also brought it up before the State Executive Council to consider the bill and ensure its passage. The bill is being worked upon, and as soon as the memo is taken, it will follow through to the domestication  of the act.

“Secondly, this present administration is very intentional  about the needs of people living with disabilities. This is the reason Bem was appointed as Special Assistant to governor on persons with disabilities.

“This shows you all that they have a voice in government, and for the first time in the state, we have a sign line language interpreter so that those who can not hear can understand. That shows that everyone is being carried along.”

Similarly, the Director General of Budget and Planning Commission, Prof. Jerome Andohol assured the group of the commission’s adequate support where and when necessary.

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