LEGAL Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) commends Governor of Lagos State, Babatunda Raji Fashola (SAN), for signing into law the Special Peoples? Law 2011. The law was earlier passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly in December 2010 and revised to allow for late signing by the governor in May 2011. By signing the bill into law, Governor Fashola has shown that he is committed to the welfare of vulnerable persons in Lagos State.
Lagos is the first to promulgate such law aimed at domesticating the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disability and similar normative standards. Similar bill passed by the National Assembly is still waiting for signature of the President. LEDAP calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the National Disability Bill 2011 into law.
The new law contains provisions to ensure that people living with disabilities in Lagos State are given equal rights in all social services, employment, political and educational facilities. The law also safeguards disable persons against discrimination; guarantees them right to access to information, conducive socio-economic environment; access to special education; to public transport facilities, among others. Under the law, a dedicated Office for Disability Affairs to address complaints of harassment, discrimination and torture, will be set up. The office will also ensure that the tenets of the law are fully and effectively implemented.
Nigeria ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol on September 24, 2010. The signing into law of the Lagos State Special Peoples? Bill will not only advance the inclusion of those living with disabilities in Lagos into the socio-economic environment and assist them in leading an independent life, but will also adhere to Nigeria?s obligations under the Convention and its Optional Protocol.
The World Health Organisation estimates that there are 19 million people in Nigeria living with disabilities. Living with a disability, whether it is physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental, has a significant and often long-lasting impact on an individual?s life. People living with disabilities experience widespread exclusion from the social, economic and political life of their communities, which is inevitably as a result of on-going stigmatisation rooted in cultural and religious beliefs, and/or the neglect of their needs in the design of policies, programmes and facilities.
The passing of the bill into law and eventual signing by Governor Fashola were outcomes of several efforts of many organisations working for persons with disability in Nigeria, including LEDAP.
In March 2011, LEDAP, in collaboration with Centre for Persons with Disability, launched one million signature campaign to request Governor Fashola to sign the bill into law. The signature campaign was kicked off at the National Stadium on March 16, 2011, at a press event attended by several supporters of the bill, including journalists and disability activists. The campaign also has the support of Lynxxx, musician, entertainer and Pepsi ambassador; and Joseph Dosu, former goal keeper for the Super Eagles, gold medallist Atlanta Olympic Games 1996. Lynxxx and Disu were the first and second signatories to the campaign. Over 1 million Lagosians signed up subsequently within one month. On May 14, 2011, the signatures were submitted to Governor Fashola, demonstrating the huge public support for the bill.
LEDAP thanks Governor Fashola for listening to the call of the people in this respect. It urges the governor to forthwith direct the management of BRT public transport companies of the Lagos State government to add rumps and other facilities that would enable disable persons including wheel-chair users to use the public buses at all the bus terminals in the state. All public buildings should also construct the necessary facilities for easy access to disable persons. Banks and other private companies that have electronic scanner doors must provide access to disable persons. There are several reports that disable persons on clutches and wheelchairs are disallowed from entering banking halls because they are unable to access the caged security screening doors. The new law has made it mandatory for such companies to provide adequate alternative access to persons with all forms of disability.
LEDAP and other disability groups will in coming months initiate litigation and other actions to ensure full compliance with the law by public and private entities in the state
?Obiagwu is national coordinator, LEDAP
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