By Paul Efiong. Joint National Association of Peoples With Disabilities (JONAPWD) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the occasion of the International Human Rights Day celebration to address problems of people with disabilities as the panacea for achieving human rights in Nigeria.
Rising from a Round Table Workshop on “Exploring A Legal Framework in the Human Rights Treaty and the Rights of Persons with Disability in Nigeria, the Issues and Challenges” held on Monday in Abuja, the National President of JONAPWD, Ms Ekaete Umoh lamented that issues affecting people with disability have been relegated to background in Nigeria by the government adding that Nigeria as a country is a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Right and should be able to effect positive changes on matter affecting those with disabilities.
The group also agreed to declear a national day for mourning, fasting and prayers to press home their demand on government to assent to their Bill which has been with the presidency.
Ms Ekaete Umoh further observed that since most of the strategies adopted and used by her organization has not yielded the much expected results about the bill, they have decided to go spiritual by observing a mandatory one day fasting and prayers by all members across states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Earlier in her welcome address, Ms Umoh while welcoming members to the event disclosed an approach taken recently which has not yielded positivel result hence, the need for another workable strategy which might bring a break through in the history of JONAPWD.
According to JONAPWD boss, “there should be a clear cut strategies that will have a multiplier effect on cogent national issues directly affecting us in this country”
She also used the opportunity presented by the event to shower commendation on SIGTSAVERS, an International donor Organization which has been of immerse support to JONAPWD in Nigeria.
In her remarks, the Senior Programme officer of SIGHTSAVERS in Nigeria, Marthe Damina, urged the group to make good use of its very intellegent members maintaining that having listen carefully to each and every members countribution on how to get the president ascent to their bill, they association is made up of very higly intellectuals who could contribute to national development when given adequate enablement.
In his speech, Associate Professor University of Abuja, Suleiman Alabi Yusuf while commending the national leadership of JONAPWD for their proactive measure to ensuring that the Bill which has long been pased by the National Assembly is accented to by the President.
Professor Alabi Yusuf further advised the leadership of JONAPWD to officially write the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’aad Abubakar for a courtesy in order for members to have one-on- one interaction with him on issues affecting them including that of their bills now before the president.
In his part, the National President, Nigerian Association of the Deaf(NWAP) and Board Member JONAPWD, Alhaji Dagba Suleiman urged urged members of JONAPWD nationwide to embark on agressive campaign through which sons and daughters of lawmakers who are physically challenged should be engaged in the onoing struggle for the Bill to scale through from the presidency.
The representative of All Progressive Congress( APC) at the event, Alh Lawan lamented that different organizations have been form claming to represent the interest of JONAPWD advising the leadership of the group to see how she could hamonise all for commoon goal of all with disabilities and the country in general.
