Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

OSOGBO – A non profit making organisation dedicated to the well-being of persons living with disability, Fajemilo Foundation has tasked Governor Ademola Adeleke and other stakeholders to ensure full implementation of disability law in Osun State.

Also, the leadership of persons living with disability in the State while commending the governor for domesticating the Act, stressed that implementation is necessary to ensure inclusivity and better living for them.

The stakeholders spoke at a two-day capacity workshop organised by the foundation for policy makers from 15 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of the state government in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Speaking on the importance of the workshop, Director Fajemilo Foundation, Mr. Afolabi Fajemilo said the capacity building meeting was to intimate service providers with details of the law with a view to ensuring it is fully implemented.

“This duty bearers would be the ones to implement the disability Act domesticated in the state. We have been mobilising the disability community to advocate for the domestication of the Act. But what we observed is that the duty bearers are not conversant with the provision of the law, hence, we thought we should bring them together to demand a deliberate plan to set out a plan for it implementation.

“We want to see that after this workshop, issues as simple as physical barriers to accessibility in the various MDAs are addressed to allow inclusivity for persons with disability”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Joint Association of Persons Living With Disability, Osun State Chapter, Mr Stephen Oluwafemi, stressed that full implementation of the law is the only way to guarantee better life for persons living with disability.

“For instance, the law said 5% of employment opportunities should be reserved for persons living with disability and also provide strict penalties for anyone, either individuals or organisations that discriminate against persons living with disability. Implementing the law fully would not only guarantee good life for our members but also allow them access to employment”, he stressed.

Fielding questions from journalists, Special Adviser to Governor Adeleke on Special Needs, Kamil Aransi disclosed that the governor’s determination to ensure implementation of the law birthed the creation of Bureau of Special needs persons with disability which is saddled with implementation of the law and before the end of the year their duties would begin to manifest across the state.