TAF Takes Campaign on Inclusion of Persons With Disability in Governance To Osun Legislative

The Albino Foundation with the objective of inclusion of Persons With Disability in governance and other government activities, took its campaign to Osun State House of Assembly, the legislative arm of the government to advocate for enhancement of civic and political participation of Persons with Disability (PWDs) in the state.

The non-governmental organization in a courtesy call to the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye asked for the support of the assembly on inclusion of Persons with Disability in governance and government policies.

The team leader of the Albino Foundation, Osun EU SDGN project Supervisor for Osun and Ekiti state, Mr. Ogunbiyitan Kehinde said that the organization is on the advocacy campaign to ensure that Persons with Disability are given attention and included in governance since they are stakeholders during election, according to the Sustainable Development Goal on inclusion of PWDs.

Listing the activities of the Albino Foundation for Persons with Disability in Osun state, he said that the program is supported by European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria.

The non governmental organization appreciated Osun Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for his Persons With Disability friendly policies, such as Free healthcare services through Osun Health Insurance Scheme OHIS for persons with Disability in local governments across the state among others.

He added that the category of persons with Disability according to World Health Organization statistics are about 20million from population of persons in Nigeria, hence the call for their inclusion, he declared them stakeholders.

According to Ogunbiyitan, the Domestication of the Persons with Disability Bill once passed into law will improve the lives of persons with disability, since they have the right to be included in governance and it is part of the responsibility of governments to give them an enabling environment for inclusion.

He urged Osun government to speed up the process of passing the persons with disability bill into law, saying that other states in the country already gave the PWDs bill running, he also asked that the state approve use of sign language interpreters and desk officers at local governments in the state for easy access and communication with persons with disability.

In his response, the Speaker Osun House of Assembly Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye informed the non governmental organization that the government of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is Persons With Disability friendly one, he reiterated that the gesture will be improved upon to ensure the inclusion of Persons with Disability in all activities of the government of Osun.

He noted that domestication of the Persons with Disability Bill will be worked on to meet up with the Global standard, saying that inclusion of PWDs in social intervention programs, and availability of sign language interpreters in government programmes is supported.

According to the Speaker "Persons with Disability are human being and attention should be paid to them in Osun and Nigeria as a whole".

"Persons with Disability have roles and what they can contribute to the society, they have power to vote and to voice their demands as citizens of the state and country respectively- the Osun Speaker stated. 

Members of The Albino Foundation at the courtesy visit to Osun State House of Assembly Speaker includes, TAF Osun EU -SDGN Project lead Mrs Abdullahi Funmilayo, Mr Adebayo Muritala; a visually impaired, Mr Olayinka Temitope, Adekunle Ajibade, Sanusi Taiwo Muibat, Mr Mathew Idowu; sign language interpreter and TAF EU-SDGN Project Osun project Admin/Account officer Lukman Nafiu Adewale.