Anselem Anokwute
The member Representing Mbaitoli State Constitutiency in Imo State House of Assembly, Engr Innocent Ikpamezie in his passion for mankind mostly the less privileged ones has moved a bill for a law to repeal the Imo State Agency for Persons living with Disabilities law 2017 to enact a law to Domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act 2018 in the State and for other related matters, which has graciously passed its second stage during plenary on Wednesday, 13th March, 2024.
In the Bill, Hon Engr Ikpamezie made his intentions known, with a clear objective, which is to protect persons with disabilities and to ensure they are no longer discriminated against when it is finally passed and signed into law.
Speaking on the Bill, Hon Ikpamezie, explained that The Bill is structured and divided into 11 parts and 56 sections is more holistic and encompasses even though there was already a law for the disabled persons in Imo State enacted in 2017 which did not address the yearnings and requirements of the disabled in the society hence the desired to Domesticate the holistic law in the State
He went further to list areas persons with disabilities are being discriminated against, arguing that many of them face a number of Human Rights Violations and Abuses include, Violence, Stigma, Discrimination, Lack of access to healthcare, Lack of access to housing, Lack of access to education and many others.
He maintained that the essence of this Bill is to stop these Abuses and Discriminations, to make life better and more prosperous for the disabled people by using the law as a shade to protect the disabled people.
Hon. Ikpamezie said that the bill if passed into law will enable the disabled persons in the State enjoy what there colleagues else where are enjoying already in Nigeria as the Bill for the New Law was already passed by the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House Of Representatives in November 2016, which was eventually signed into Law by the former President, Mohammadu Buhari on the 23rd of January 2018, as it behoves on us to Domesticate same in Imo State through this all important Bill when passed into law will enable the disabled people this privileges and rights, to quality Education without discriminations, access to free education at secondary school level and that every Public School will have trained Personnel to cater to their needs and teaching aids specifically tailored to their needs, Right to Healthcare, First Consideration in queues others include, Employment Opportunities, Access to transportation by road, sea and rail, with gadgets suitable for disabled persons,
The Bill also imposes sanctions which includes fines and prison sentences on those who contraveners both on the side of the Disables and Non Disables persons.so the law also protected the Non Disables too.
Enjoying the massive support of the House members at the Plenary who spoke in favour bill and the urgent needs to Domesticate same in the State commended Hon Ikpamezie for his passion and humanitarian gesture to the plights of those living with Disabilities in the State.
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