Edo Disability Law: JONAPWD Commend ROLAC

By Lucky Isibor

The Edo State chapter of the Joint Associations of Persons With Disability (JONAPWD) has commended the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme of the British Council for its support in the passage of the Edo State Disability Law which was passed by the Edo State House of Assembly recently and awaiting the Governor's assent.

Hon. Justice Ikponmwonba, Co-chair RoLAC  SPSG, Edo State presenting CD tapes to Police OC Legal  at the meeting

The Edo State chairperson of JONAPWD, Miss Anne Ojugo made the commendation on behalf of the association at the fourth quarter meeting of the Edo State Programme Steering Group (SPSG) meeting of RoLAC held in Benin City on Friday, 30 September. 

The Rule of Law and Anti-corruption, RoLAC  programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council. The programme gave technical support to several advocacies for the passage of the Edo State Disability Law.

According to Miss Ojugo, "on behalf of the Disabled persons in Edo State, I want to sincerely thank RoLAC for taking the lead in the advocay that led to the passage of the Disability Bill. 

"For the past ten years now we've been trying to have this law put in place because it will give us, persons with disabilities a leverage in the state. We've been trying since 2012 without headway until RoLAC came. So we want to thank them for their efforts, their time, their resources, their push to ensure that this bill was passed into in Edo State."

While thanking Governor Godwin Obaseki in anticipation of his accent to the Edo State Disability Law, Ujugo described the Governor as 'disability friendly' as he has been putting structures in place to make life easy for people with disabilities since his assumption of office.

 "We are only waiting for the Governor's assent and I know that our Governor, Godwin Obaseki who is disability friendly and have persons with disabilities dear to his heart will assent to it.

"I want to thank RoLAC for taking it this far and I want to thank the Governor in anticipation that he will accent to it", she said.

While responding to a question that the police have not been making use of the police statement taking room built for the police by RoLAC in their investigations, the Officer in charge of police Legal Department, P. O.Ugwumba Esq said the police is having challenge of unavailability of magnetic tapes (compact disc CD) for recording proceedings in the statement taking room adding that appeal has been made to RoLAC for assistance.

While presenting the progress report for Year 5, the Edo State Coordinator of RoLAC, Ms Uche Nwokedi said RoLAC has bought copies of CD to facilitate the use of the statement taking room by the police authority.

Presenting the magnetic tapes to the police through the OC Legal, the Edo State RoLAC SPSG Co-chair, the Honourable Justice Efe Ikponmwonba tasked the Edo State PoIice Commnd on their use, adding that they expect to start seeing the tapes in Court along with Defendants.