Taraba State House of Assembly Advances Bill to Establish Disability Rights Commission

The Taraba State House of Assembly has advanced a bill to establish the Taraba State Persons Living with Disability Commission. The bill, which passed its second reading on Thursday, seeks to create a commission dedicated to safeguarding the rights of people with disabilities in the state.

If enacted, the commission will be responsible for promoting the rights of persons with disabilities across healthcare, education, and social, political, and economic spheres. Speaker of the House, John Kizito Bonzena, emphasized the significance of the proposed measure during the debate, stating that it aims to fully integrate people with disabilities into society.

Bonzena also called for an end to discrimination against individuals with disabilities, reminding the public that they are equal members of society deserving of the same rights and opportunities.

Presenting the bill’s summary, Tafarki Agbadu Eneme, who represents the Kurmi Constituency, explained that the goal of the legislation is to improve service delivery and enhance communication between service providers and people with disabilities.

Supporting the bill, members Josiah Yaro from Wukari One and Veronica Alhassan from Bali One highlighted the longstanding discrimination faced by people with disabilities. They noted that the establishment of the commission would be a significant step towards addressing the needs of this disadvantaged group.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Social Welfare for further consideration, with plans for a public hearing to gather input from stakeholders.