The Nigerian Bar Association Lawyers with Disability Forum, yesterday, called on states that are yet to domesticate the Law of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018 to do so.

The body, while expressing disappointment over the development, said there is a need for states to sensitise their citizens about the law and its benefits.

The Chairperson of the forum, Asia El-Rufai, made this known at a First NBA-LWDF Stakeholders Summit on Disability Inclusion, in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

She said: “The reason for this summit is to create awareness that there is such law in existence, which many people, including security agencies, are not aware of.

“We try to bring stakeholders, especially the law enforcement agencies, together to discuss the way forward, and to facilitate implementation.”

“Five years after the law was established, about 75 per cent of states are yet to domesticate it in their states, although some have provisions for persons with disability in their programmes.

“I want to thank states, such as Edo, Borno, Sokoto and others, for domesticating the law. I encourage others to do so.”

In his remarks, the Delta State Solicitor General, Omamuzo Erebe, assured that the state will soon domesticate the law, noting that it is already before the state Assembly.

He explained that the state had already commenced implementation of some provisions of the Disability Act, 2018, which include five per cent employment slots, building accessibility, among others.

Speaking on the theme, ‘The Criminality of Disability Discrimination: Evaluating the Preparedness of Law Enforcement Agencies and Relevant Stakeholders,’ a member of NBA planning committee, Badejo Okunsanya, called on the body of lawyers with disability to champion the awareness campaign.