USAID celebrates three years of signing into law “Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act”

To celebrate three years of signing into law by the Nigerian government, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 Under the UN CRPD, the United States Agency for International Disability (USAID) has expressed appreciation to those who made it possible.

The bill was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari three years ago.

The body, which includes the African Immigrants, Nigerian-Americans living in the United States, the Secretary of Texas State and the United Nations DSPS/DESA and United Nations Accredited, non profit, non governmental and non political (NGOs) organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), said to mark three years of signing into law, discrimination against persons with disabilities bill, it was proper to celebrate those who made it possible.

“Today, Marks the 3rd Year Anniversary, which HE President Buhari, made Great historic Legacy by signing into law, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, in response to our 20+ years, nonviolence, relentless, High-Level, diplomatic, direct advocacy.

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“Therefore, pursuant to our successful, implementation of the USAID’s and U.S. Department of State IdEA’s mission, vision and goals, we move to send this heartfelt thank you note and huge congratulations, to the United States Government, U.S. Department of State, USAID, U.S. based nonprofit organisations and citizens for their direct and indirect contributions, which helped us to succeed in advocating and negotiating, as direct architects of the making of these historic great legacies; whereby the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Legislative and Executive Branches of Government, responded to our multiple requests to enact, vote, pass and sign into law, first Nigeria’s, Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, 3 years ago.

“President Buhari signed it, under the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s mandatory obligations, to fully, implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), article 4 and its accompanying Optional Protocol, signed and ratified by our Federal Republic of Nigeria’s HE President Obasanjo and HE President Jonathan, on March 30, 2007 and September 24, 2010, respectively, also, pursuant to the United Nations Charter and its Treaty Agreement, signed and ratified by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on October 7, 1960.”

It said Buhari made another great, historic legacy by establishing the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) on August 24, 2020.

The statement also commended Buhari for naming the National Commission’s Chairman, Executive Secretary and 6 Governing Council members, whose duties were to officially, take charge of Nigeria’s 6 different geographical zones.

Offering a background to signing of the bill, the statement said on November 8, 2018, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and his members of the 8th Assembly, voted and passed into law, the harmonized bill without more inputs from any Nigerian with disability as mandated by UN CRPD, Article 4.3 November 21, 2018.

Also, the the President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukolar Saraki and members of the senate voted and passed into law, the same bill without considering the UN CRPD Article 4.3, the statement stated.

“Historically, on February 28, 2018, March 14, 2018, May 11, 2018, respectively, high-level meetings were successfully held with the former Senate President, the Distinguished Dr Senator Abubakar Bukolar Saraki, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hon. Justice Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation.

“We the African Immigrants, Nigerian-Americans living in the United States, the Secretary of Texas State and the United States 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt, and the United Nations DSPS/DESA and United Nations Accredited, non profit, non governmental and non political (NGOs) organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), called, Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc (ERPWDI) (aka Equal Rights for Persons with disabilities Initiative (ERPWDI), FESTAC-USA, Inc in collaboration with our Allies, since May 17, 2011, were inaugural members of the United States, Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships (S/GP), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s International Diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA). We continued to successfully, progressively, implement the mission, vision and goals of IdEA, which led to the aforementioned multiple, historic great legacies made, on Disability Policy changes in Nigeria.

“To unleash this potential, the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships (S/GP), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the International Diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) at the Secretary’s Global Diaspora Forum on May 17, 2011. IdEA harnesses the global connections of Diaspora communities to promote sustainable development in their countries of heritage. By supporting partnerships around entrepreneurship, volunteerism, philanthropy, and innovation, the Alliance provides a platform for capacity-building and a forum for collaboration across sectors to expand efforts and to improve lives in countries of origin. We also added, advocacy and negotiation for Nigeria’s, Disability/Women Inclusive, Democracy and Governance, Political and Electoral Process, Environment, Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM-Education), plus Air (STEAM-Education), Entrepreneurship, Computer Coding & Robotics.”