A front line international labour leader and vice President, industriALL global union, comrade Issa Aremu, has challenged state governors to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari’s gesture of signing the law establishing the national commission for persons with special needs. Aremu gave the charge at this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) in Ilorin.
Represented by Comrade Abdulmumini Onagun, Aremu also urged all politicians and political parties to initiate policy ideas on the worsening plight of fellow compatriots living with disabilities.
According to him, the 1999 constitution with all its limitations commendably envisages inclusive governance and development.
He cited chapter II dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy section (2) says; The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: “that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.”
Aremu who was also the former Labour Party governorship candidate, in the state during the 2019 election observed that the 2020 theme of “Building Back Better: Towards A Disability Inclusive, Accessibly and Sustainable post Covid: 19 World” was timely.
He revealed that in Nigeria alone almost 2000 people have died due to Covid while 67,960 have been infected.
He advised participants to act safe, use face masks adding that “ There is still no cure vaccine yet. The only vaccine is PREVENTION: washing of hands, and maintaining social distancing.”
It would be recalled that 30 years ago, the United Nations proclaimed the observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (DPD).
The Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. An estimated one billion people live with some disabilities worldwide. As many as 25 million Nigerians are living with sundry disabilities. They face many barriers to inclusion in many key aspects of society, the most unacceptable being stigmatization.
People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), often do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others, in critical areas of housing, transportation, employment, and education as well as social and political participation.
The leader also called for the implementation of what he called “robust recommendations of the 2014 National conference with respect to Persons living with disabilities (PLWDs).”
