FROM MUHAMMAD S MARADUN.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly will soon enact a law to guarantee persons with disability are given equal opportunity in all sectors of the state.
This assurance was made by a member representing Anka Constituency at the state Assembly, Alhaji Yusuf Muhammad while speaking at the opening of a three day workshop on Zamfara State Disability Bill harmonization organized by the Save the Children International (SCI).
The lawmaker explained that, the law when pass will ensure the full integration of persons with disability into the society by establishing a commission that will be responsible for their education, health and other rights Issues.
“We are about to start working on a bill specifically meant to protect and fully integrate persons with disability into all facets in Zamfara state", he said.
“I call on you participants to contribute positively to the bill to ensure that all your special needs are specified so as for the law when passed gives deserved protection to persons with disability in the state,” he said.
Muhammad said persons with disability are vulnerable who must be given special attention by the government and others to enable them contribute to the development of the society.
“For us as a state to developed, we must support and give persons with disability equal opportunities to participate in all aspects in the state without discrimination,” he said.
The Advocacy and Communication Officer of the SCI, Malam Nura Muhammad Dantawasa said the workshop is to harmonize all disability bills to have a formidable bill which passed will be of immense benefit for persons with disability in the state.
“Save the Children International in the last three years has being supporting Social Protection Programmes (SPP) and also to ensuring that rights of persons with disability are projected,” he said.
Dantawasa said though the Child Grant Development Programme (CDGP) will be winding up in July, the SCI may get another nod from the donor agency to implement another project in the state.
“The SCI may get approval to carryout another programme to benefit the vulnerable in the state when the visiting officials of FCDO arrives the state to discuss with government officials,” he said.
The three day workshop has members of the State House of Assembly, different associations of Persons with Disability, government officials and relevant stakeholders as participant.