Nigeria: Domestication of UN CRPD Article Four Will Finish Insecurity in Nigeria – JONAPWD

The American government has been asked to continue to provide all necessary support to influence the domestication of Article 4 of the CRPD, which is able to permanently end the current security challenges in the country, so that the support of the American government to Nigeria would henceforth be used for visible development projects.

These were contained in a letter signed by the Secretariat of the Board of Trustees of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Ms. Omotunde Ellen Thompson to address the government and people of the United States on the occasion of the 250th Independence Day celebrations.

In the letter, the JONAPWD stated that “if the National Assembly repeals Section 12 and the UN CRPD Article 4 will be incorporated into the Nigerian Constitution through its domestication during the ongoing attempt to revise the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 by the legislature “Poor of the government, we are very sure that the problems of insurgency, insecurity, terrorism, bandits and kidnappings in Nigeria will find permanent solutions through your continuous direct assistance.

“This is very important to the American government and the American people because once the war on security challenges in Nigeria is finally won, American taxpayers’ money would be directed towards consolidating the Nigerian democratic process, which will continue to grow the Nigerian government would democracy in Nigeria.

In the letter dated July 4, 2021 to Her Excellency Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard at the United States Embassy, ​​Lot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja, FCT Nigeria, with a copy to Anne Patterson, Mission Director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja, FCT Nigeria with the topic RE: Happy 250 disability, which extends over a good two decades.

According to the letter, JONAPWD said, “We would like to congratulate the United States of America and its citizens on this auspicious occasion on July 4th commemorating the two hundred and fifty (250th) fourth of July, the anniversary of Independence Day.

“The Board of Trustees of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) wishes in particular to US President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and First Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and the American people a happy 250th anniversary for Independence Day.

“It is known today that we, Nigerians with disabilities, celebrate our independence through the direct action of the American people and their government alike, after more than a hundred years of denying a disabled constitution that robbed us.” our contribution to development, participation in democracy and governance, and active participation in the political and electoral processes in every electoral cycle in the country.

“We would like to use this medium to recognize the contributions of Nigerian Americans and the coalition of US-based NGOs, duly coordinated by Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc, (ERPWDI), and the personal efforts of” its President, Chief Eric Ndubueze Ufom and Executive Secretary, Ms. Ngozi Pauline Ikebuaku, who have worked directly with us for more than 25 years to work to protect and promote the rights and human dignity of Nigerians and negotiate disabilities.

“We therefore thank American taxpayers who have never tired of the well-coordinated efforts of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc, (ERPWDI), led by Chief Ufom, Ms. Ikebuaku, and the collaboration of those in their network to advocate our more than 20 years of negotiations and our advocacy for changes in disability policy in Nigeria.

“They formed the arrowhead of a well-organized body that held our hands to tread the rough road to freedom by holding several high-level meetings with the Nigerian National Assembly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the Ministry of Justice and Attorney Genial of Nigeria, Head of Public Service of the Nigerian Federation, Office of the Secretary of the Nigerian Government

“These dedicated groups, organized under one roof, took on the challenge of making the lives of people with disabilities in Nigeria meaningful when they tried to pass the American Disability Act (ADA) under the administration of former President Olusegun Domesticate Obasanjo.

“The resilient group also pushed for the trial under the leadership of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his successor, President Goodluck Jonathan,” The JONAPWD said.

The Board of Trustees also paid tribute to the fact that the efforts under incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari were finally crowned and listed the accomplishments including “Our Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United States”. Nations, signed and ratified, the UN Disability Rights Convention and its Optional Protocol, and we have successfully campaigned for its implementation by both our Nigerian legislature and our executive branch.

“National Assembly, Successful, Enacted, Harmonized, Voted and Enacted, the Disability Discrimination Act 2018, under Nigeria’s Obligation to Impal, the aforementioned UN human rights treaty of the 21st century, the Convention,” as and “HE President Muhammadu Buhari signed it on January 23, 2019.

The BOT further pointed out that “the head of the civil service of the Nigerian Federation developed the organogram and the recommendation of the Government Secretary of the Federation for the establishment of an independent national commission for people with disabilities.

“On August 24, 2020, HE President Muhammadu Buhari established the National Commission for People with Disabilities. And on the same day he announced the names of the Executive Secretary and the members of the Governing Council to represent each of the 6 geographical areas of Nigeria and Dr. Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa as chairman.

“On December 3, 2020, the Honorable House Speaker established the House Standing Committee on Disabilities. He appointed its committee members.

“The Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Plateau State was signed on December 21, 2005, and eight years later, on April 2013, in partnership with Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc (ERPWDI), we passed directly and successfully negotiated through its implementation committee We repeated the same good results in 2017.

“We would like to show our appreciation for the many opportunities that Miss Omotunde Ellen Thompson, Secretary of the JONAPWD Board of Trustee (BoT), who worked at the Center for Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CAPWD), as one of her most important Nigerian representatives, during all of these high-level meetings.

“Your Excellency, please note that the United States Government has been through USAID-Nigeria, the US Mission to Nigeria, the International Republic Institute, Pack-Nigeria and. Since the establishment of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Nigeria (JONAPWD-National) others, have always been our greatest donors and you have been the best at protecting and promoting our constitutional, social, disability and human rights.

“On May 27, 2021, the United States Government, under the direction of Her Excellency Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard, held to ensure that we successfully implement the 2018 Prohibition Act and its National Commission on Persons with Disabilities, a diplomatic meeting with the National Commission for People with Disabilities, chaired by Dr. Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa and its member of the Southeast Zone Board of Directors, Hon.Onyejelam Jaja Oparaku, of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Nigeria (JONAPWD -National) and Center for Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CAPWD), led by Miss Omotunde Ellen Thompson and Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Initiative (ERPWDI) (aka Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc (ERPWDI), led by Ms. Ngozi Pauline Ikebuaku .

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“The meeting should discuss the urgent commitment of our Federal Republic of Nigeria to implement the Disability Discrimination Act 2018 and its National Commission for People with Disabilities, as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities , in particular Article 4 (4.3).

“There are currently thirty-one (31) million Nigerians with disabilities, Almajiris, internally displaced persons, wounded Nigerian military and women who would be the direct beneficiaries of proper implementation of the Disability Act, which was originally intended to protect them but refused to do so under Section 12 of the Constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 the constitutional, civil, human and disability rights to enjoy the same independence as Americans with other Nigerians.

“They have full independence to enjoy genuine handicapped accessible developments that would enhance their contribution to nation building in their chosen area of ​​human endeavor if Section 12 is successfully repealed by the National Assembly during the ongoing 1999 constitutional revision.

“They should also fully participate in democracy and governance to the best of their knowledge and belief; have the opportunity to make a political contribution and to exercise their rights during the electoral process, even if they are taken into account in the plans of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). , Agenda 2030 as well as Americans with disabilities.

“We wish the American people and government through the staff of the American Mission in Nigeria once again a happy 250th anniversary of Independence Day,” wrote the Secretary of the JONAPWD Board of Trustees.