Persons With Disability appeal to Gov el-Rufai over bill

Association of Persons With Disability (PWDs) in Kaduna State has appealed to the State governor, Nasir el-Rufai to use his executive power to ensure speedy movement of disability bill to the State House of Assembly.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chairman of the PWDs, Rilwan Abdullahi said the idea of the bill was initiated in August 2009 by a community of persons with disability.

Abdullahi however, lamented that the move initiated over the bill since 10 years ago has not gone beyond legal committee at the State Ministry of Justice.

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He reminded governor el-Rufai to fulfill the promise he made to the association during his governorship campaign to facilitate the passage of the bill.

“We are appealing to Governor Nasir el-Rufai to fulfill the promise he made to us. We met with him during the governorship campaign, and he told us that we don’t have a problem as long as taking the bill to the State House of Assembly is concerned.

“Governor el-Rufai promised to take our case as an executive bill in order to have the political will.

“We are of the hope that if the bill is taken to the House of Assembly, it will see the light of the day”. Abdullahi said.

The PWDs chairman also expressed gratitude to governor El-Rufai for employing 21 of his members out of 66 persons recently engaged at the State Rehabilitation board.

He noted, “this employment is about 32 percent which is more than 5 percent recommended by the Nigeria disability Act which was recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abdullahi said he is keeping the Speaker and all members of the State House of Assembly on notice to expedite action, “on the passage of Kaduna State disability bill which is our life when His Excellency finally send the bill to you as an executive bill.”