Project Trust: Persons with Disabilities Call for Amendment to Kwara Disability Law, Demand Access to Rights and Privileges
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Kwara State have called for amendments to the Kwara State Disability Law to ensure full access to their fundamental rights and privileges.
This appeal was made during a Project Trust program, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, held on Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital. The Disability Law, initially enacted in 2017 under the administration of former Governor AbdulFatai Ahmed, has not been fully implemented, leaving many PWDs without the benefits it was designed to provide.
In a statement tagged; ‘Summary of Area of Interest To Be Amended, they urged the Kwara State House of Assembly to establish an Office for Disability Affairs, which he recommended should function under the Office of the Governor.
The Persons With Disabilities further emphasized that this aligns with the National Disability Law, which provides for a similar commission under the Presidency.
They proposed that the office be composed of representatives of persons with disabilities from the three senatorial zones in the state, representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, various disability clusters, and key state ministries.
The statement also stressed the need for an Executive Secretary who is a person with a disability, opposing the current provision that allows for someone without a disability but with relevant experience.
It also called for free and continuous medical treatment for PWDs in public health institutions, replacing the current provision for subsidized treatment. It highlighted the need for free tuition at all levels of public educational institutions, as provided for in the National Disability Act, but absent in the state law.
Additionally, they demanded the full implementation of the 5% employment quota for PWDs in every sector, as well as provisions to support their participation in politics, which is currently not addressed in the Kwara Disability Law.
Responding to the concerns, Ishiak Yakub Yaru, Director of Legislative Matters at the Kwara State House of Assembly, assured participants that their message would be communicated to the Assembly. He promised that efforts would be made to ensure the proposed amendments are reviewed and implemented promptly.
The PWD community expressed optimism that these changes would promote greater inclusion and improve their quality of life in Kwara State.
