Group solicits Benue govt’s support to domesticate disability act

A group known as the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) has solicited the support of the Benue State Government towards domesticating the disability act in the state.

The Executive Director of the association, Grace Jerry who led a team to the Secretary to the State Government, Deborah Aber and the Director General of the Budget and Planning Commission in the state, Professor Jerome Andohol emphasised the need to domesticate the act in the state with adequate budget allocation to the project.

The Executive Director regretted that only Benue is yet to domesticate the act in the North Central geo-political zone and solicited the support of the top government officials to help push for the enactment of the draft bill already before the state executive.

She said, “Disability act is yet to be domesticated in the state and we have seen how much it has affected persons with disabilities in the state because they are still vulnerable to exclusion and the reason is that there is no law that mandate any key sector to push them in the right direction.”

Jerry said that the association had made a couple of advocacy visits to the state to push the bill through, saying, ‘reason we team up with disability association in the state chapter, we team up with media and every stakeholder and one other person that has been working towards this is the State Attorney General who we have also met to help us to push the bill to become a reality in the state.

“We identify your office (SSG) as one of the critical offices to help us as a mother who understands challenges of people who are excluded from a particular efforts in the society, we have come to you as a mother to see what you can do to see that the state domesticate this act and to also use your good office as well to help push this and pass it to the governor,” she said.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the governor on disability, Bem Anshe regretted that the past administration did not do anything to ensure the domestication of the bill despite all efforts and expressed deep assurance that the present administration will help domesticating the act in the state.

In her response, the Secretary to the State Government, Aber who recognised the importance of the act appreciated the team for pursuing “a worthy course.”

The SSG said that the bill which was already presented before the State Executive Council would soon be worked upon and ensured it’s domestication.

The SSG also reiterated the commitment of Alia administration about the needs of persons with disabilities in the state and had given them due attention.

She said, “I have it on a good footing that the Attorney General did not only have the draft bill but has also brought it up before the State Executive Council to consider the bill and ensure it’s passage , the bill is being worked upon and as soon as the memo is taking it will follow through to domestication of the act.

“Secondly, this present administration is very intentional about the needs of people living with disabilities, Bem is appointed as Special Assistant to governor on persons with disabilities this shows that they have a voice in government and for the first time in the state we have a sign line language interpreter so that those who can not hear can understand that shows that everyone is being carried along.”

Also, the Director General of Budget and Planning Commission, Professor Jerome Andohol assured the group of the commission adequate support where and when necessary.

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