ABUJA- The plight of over 14 million disabled Nigerians who are indiscriminately shunned following their fate, irked the House of Representatives which has proposed between six months and one year jail terms or options of fine for violators.
In a proposed Bill presently under consideration in the National Assembly, the Reps in a press conference yesterday stated that: “No person with disability shall be discriminated against on the ground of his or her disability by any person or institution in any manner or circumstance.”
Chairperson, Committee on Women Affairs and Human Rights, Binta Massi Garbaa told media men that any person or corporate body that contravenes the proposed law will risk a penalty such that “if a corporate body, a minimum of N250,000 nominal damages payable to the affected person with disability; or if an individual, a minimum of N100,000.00 nominal damages payable to the affected person with disability, or 6 months imprisonment or both such fine and imprisonment.
The committee’s chairperson also stated that no person with disability shall be subjected to prejudice or harmful practices, including those based on sex ,age, or tradition in any area of life.
Continuing Hon. Garba said such offences carry a year jail term and N100,000.00 fine or both for an individual and N250,000.00 for corporate body.
About 14 million Nigerians of different ages and sex are believed to be living with one form of disability or the other.
Two lawmakers, Honourables Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Seriake Dickson are co-sponsoring the Bill, which was committed to the two committees after it scaled the Second reading, for harmonization.
Speaking on preparation for a public hearing on the Bill yesterday, chairperson of the Women Affairs Committee, Hon Binta Masi Garba said that apart from the penalty, the bill tends to establish a commission to cater for the needs of the disabled.
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