The National Commission for Persons Living With Disabilities (NCPWD) has announced that it will initiate the full implementation of accessibility laws, threatening to seal off public facilities and organizations that do not comply.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, James David Lalu, stated during a world press conference marking this year’s International Day of People Living With Disabilities that the laws mandate organizations and other business premises to make their facilities accessible to persons with disabilities in Nigeria and include them in their workforce.
Lalu mentioned that the Commission has transitioned from the era of advocacy to the era of enforcement. He revealed that a Task Force would be constituted by the end of the year to ensure the full implementation of the law.
The Commission has granted a five-year window for organizations to comply with the law, set to expire by January 16, 2024.
Lalu explained, “When you look at the provision of the discrimination against persons with disabilities prohibition, there is a lot in it. The disability community carefully selected them, and it has passed many years of struggle to where we are today. Having done that, the Commission has been established and invested with the full responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of the Act. This, as stated in the law, is five years, and the five years are rounding off. We are now transitioning from the era of advocacy to an era of enforcement. The era of enforcement is here.”
“By January, the commission is expected to move out in full force to make sure that the provisions of the law are properly implemented. The commission will start meeting with its partners and compose the Task Force immediately before this Christmas. Everything will be on the ground before the end of this year so that as we come early next year, the Task Force will be in full operation. January 16, 2024, will be the expiration date, and by the 17th of January, the Task Force team will move out and visit key offices to have a physical assessment of facilities. Our assessment may not only end on the physical facilities but the composition of the staff in these institutions.”
The Chairman of the House Committee on Disability, Honourable Bashiru Dawodu, advocated for the insurance of people living with disabilities with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to take care of their coverage. He mentioned that the motion on sign language has already been implemented in the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives.
“You can never have universal coverage if persons with disabilities are not insured. We also talk about awareness, which is one of the things we are doing here today. There is already a motion on sign language before the House, which I have to say has been implemented. In the chamber of the National Assembly now, especially in the House of Representatives, for the first time, we are going to have a sign language interpreter.”