The former Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has lent his weight on the Disability Act, a motion, “Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Nigeria and for full implementation of the Disabilities Act”, moved by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West).
Seconding the motion, Distinguished Senator Kalu said, most of the buildings in Nigeria both private and public, don’t make provision for persons with disabilities to access their premises. Kalu additionally gave an example with the senate chamber. He mentioned that the bill came in the 9th Senate, but didn’t see the light of the day.
The ranking lawmaker, Kalu, thanked the mover of the motion, Senator Izunaso, for bringing the frustrations suffered by the less privileged in the society to the knowledge of the 10th Senate for full implementation by the Disability Commission.
Kalu, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Privatization, reiterated that, all over the world, provisions are made by Act of Parliament to provide suitable conditions in public transportation systems, Trains, Buses, Airports and Hotels, taking into cognizance, the uniqueness of persons living with disabilities.
Debating further, Kalu urged his distinguished colleagues to lend their voices to the motion, to give the lives of persons living with disabilities a better meaning.
“Most of the private and public buildings in Nigeria have no persons with disabilities access, even in this chamber, there’s no access for anybody living with disabilities in terms of wheelchair and all the rest of them. We are supposed to have it, even in the 9th Senate, we mentioned that our building here, should have access to use a wheelchair to come into the Senate. I want to thank Senator Izunaso for bringing this motion for the less privileged people in our society, and for us to start taking anything about them very seriously. In every part of the world, these kinds of people are taken very seriously, in their budgetary allocations. Like in our trains, there should be access for people with disabilities to enter the train, buses and any public and private hotels, like Hilton, Frazier Suites are supposed to have all these things. Important hotels, and important public places need to protect the rights of people living with disabilities. Mr President, I stand to support this motion, and I urge other of my colleagues to lend their voice into this motion to make life better for our brothers.” Kalu stated.
After Kalu spoke, some senators who spoke in support of the motion, were; Sen. Onyekachi Nwebonyi, (Ebonyi North), Sen. Idiat Adebule (Lagos West), Sen. Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), Sen. Siyako Anthony (Gombe South), and Sen. Akpabio.
