The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and a coalition of civil society organisations have agreed to work together to promote the wider implementation of the Persons With Disability Act (PWDA), especially those aspects that specify timelines for its realisation around the country.
Director-General of the Agency, Dr Garba Abari, made this commitment when the group led by the Country Director of Accountability Lab International, Mr Friday Odeh, paid him a visit in Abuja.
The group comprises five organisations working together to improve diversity inclusiveness in the socio-political landscape of the country.
According to Abari, the poor implementation of the provisions of the Disability Act was noted during the review of the implementation report held three weeks ago and a resolution was reached to match action with words.
The Director-General further explained that since the signing of the bill into law, NOA has continued to push for the designation of Desk Officers in MDAs as a way of raising awareness and ensuring compliance with the law.
The group which came to seek NOA involvement in taking the provisions of the act to the grassroots urged the Agency to leverage on its mandate to reach out to other government agencies to take the implementation more seriously.
It listed issues that require immediate compliance to include access to structures with a five-year preparatory plan, 3% employment slot for persons with disabilities, provision for aeroplane boarding and preferential access in queues, zebra crossing and pedestrian bridges for the disabled.
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