The Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI) has again called on the state government and other relevant stakeholders to domesticate the Nigeria Disability Act in Benue state, to safeguard the rights of the Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and protect them from all forms of discrimination.
The call was made at a Two-day workshop organized by Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI), a non governmental organization projecting the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. The event was held in Otukpo, Benue State.
Speaking at the workshop which had the theme “Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Advocacy Workshop for Grassroots Women and Youths With Disabilities in Otukpo, Benue State”, Executive Director of Hope Alive Possibilities Initiative, Aver Akighir, lamented that after many years of enactment of the Disability Act which prohibits discrimination against PWDs by the federal government, and adopted by many states of the federation, Benue State is yet to domesticate it.
She noted that the non adoption of the Act in Benue, has left persons with disabilities in the state in the lurch and called for urgent redress.
“We are using this forum to appeal to the Benue State Government and other relevant stakeholders in the state to consider us by adopting the Nigeria Disability Act here. It’ll help us to overcome our challenges and barriers as it dwells on our rights.
“It will shield us from all forms of discrimination as we currently faced in the areas of healthcare, education employment, politics, among others,” she insisted.
The Executive Director further revealed that the workshop has been held in Makurdi and Gboko areas of the state and felt Otukpo should not be left out, urging participants to make good use of the opportunity.
She called for unity among persons living with disabilities, urging them to help themselves by speaking out especially for themselves and for one another.
Akighir who was also one of the facilitators of the workshop, however commended the state government for the drive to address the plight of persons with disabilities in the state through the Bill which, she said, has passed first reading at the State House of Assembly.
The Executive Director, averred that even though the Bill had passed first reading, much still needed to be done for it to be successfully passed into law and implemented in the state and implored participants to intensify their engagement with relevant stakeholders to have the Bill passed and implemented.
She thanked the management of Disability Rights Advocacy Fund for supporting her organisation over the years, promising not to disappoint them.
A facilitator, Mercy Jovkyundan, in her lecture, pointed out that the non implementation of the 2018 Nigeria Disability Act in the Benue has hindered Persons with disabilities in the state especially women and youths from access to quality education, healthcare, employment and other social and economic opportunities.
She observed that the ugly narrative could only be changed when the Act is domesticated and fully implemented.The facilitator, listed self confidence, friendliness, networking, patience, persistency, lobbying as some of the strategies to adopt while advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Jovkyundan, mentioned some of the legal frameworks available to Persons with disabilities to include the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD), Global Disability Summit Commitment and Nigeria Disability Act and asked the workshop participants not to hesitate to approach them when they noticed that their rights have been trampled upon, but with concrete evidence.
Some of the participants at the workshop including Mary Ejeh, Samson Ichekpa, all narrated their sordid experiences and barriers they faced as persons with disabilities.
They applauded HAPI, for giving them enlightenment about their rights and the push to break the barriers hindering their potentials.
