Anambra Govt. To Ensure Public Buildings Conform With Disability Rights Law
Anambra State Government says it will henceforth, ensure that all Public buildings and other infrastructure adhere strictly to provisions of the Anambra State Disability Rights Law as regards construction of public buildings and other infrastructure.
Such infrastructure including offices, conference halls, parastatals, bridges, sports facilities, hotels, schools, Churches as well as roads, etc, to make them accessible to people living with disabilities.
The Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB), Barr Chike Maduekwe, stated this when members of the Board of the State Disability Rights Commission (ANSDRC) led by the Chairman, Barr. Chukwuka Ezewuzie, paid him an advocacy visit in his office at Amawbia, Awka South LGA, to intimate him on the need to have in mind, the needs of the disability Community while constructing such buildings and facilities.
Barr. Maduekwe expressed the present administration’s commitment towards building a liveable, prosperous and megacity for everyone irrespective of age, sex, class or impairment, noting that no one is more important than others.
“Your visit today is an eye opener, and we will run with it, because there are a whole lot of things we need to begin to do differently in terms of how infrastructures are built.
“Mr Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has always maintained his vision of building a liveable and prosperous smart mega city. This homeland should be one that every member of the society must be able to access and benefit from, irrespective of social status, physical disability and otherwise.
“This we need to do immediately to ensure inclusivity. The wonderful work the Commission has done through its leadership headed by Barr Ezewuzie, is quite amazing and I am not surprised at what the Commission has been able to accomplish for persons living with disabilities.
“We will work together and I know that when the governor sees the need we are bringing to the fore, he will approve them. These are things that will improve the quality of life of Anambra people. So your visit here is an act of God and we will act accordingly,” he added.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Barr. Ezewuzie, explained that the advocacy visit was part of their efforts to sensitize ministries and agencies on operation and provisions of Anambra State Disability Rights Law 2018.
The disability rights law, was passed and assented to law by the immediate past administration of Willie Obiano, as a domestication of International best practices contained in United Nations charter for people living with disabilities (PWDs).
Ezewuzie, who said his commission was ready to partner or work with any individual, group, ministries or palastals to ensure that public buildings comply with the law whether owned or rented by government so far it is a public building serving public purposes.
The Commission’s Chairman further stressed the need for Ministry of Works to ensure that road constructions also abide by the rules by providing signs that can assist or alert the visual impaired, blind, and deaf communities accordingly at places like traffic lights, Crossings etc
He expressed the determination of the Commission to Partner with relevant authorities and bodies to ensure compliance with the law, adding that approval should not be given to building plans that do not comply or conform with the law.
Barr. Ezewuzie reiterated, “Subsection 8 of Section 23 of the Disability Rights Law talks about accessibility features which public buildings designs must possess before they are approved.
“The Interpretation Clause of the State Disability Rights Law explains that public buildings are buildings owned or used by government or made available for public use, such as shopping malls, residential buildings, churches, mosques, among others.
“What we are looking at is for every building design to have a Certificate of no Objection, CNB, which simply means that all requirements in the code are met in terms of accessibility features. If the design conforms with subsection 5. We are confident that your Board will ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Code and we will be ready to provide guidance when needed” he added.
In their presentations, the Chief Media Officer for the Disability Commission, Miss Chidinma Ajemba, as well as Mrs Esther Nwaodika, Engr Emmanuel Enoch Anemone, Miss Njideka Okoli, and Mr Moses Obiora, spoke on the need for all relevant bodies in the building industry to play their roles in ensuring that builders adhere strictly to stipulated rules to make like easier for persons with one form of disability or another.
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