Senate working on improved bill for persons with disabilities, says Jimoh Ibrahim

Jimoh Ibrahim, chairman of the senate committee on inter-parliamentary affairs, says the Nigerian senate is working on an improved bill for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Ibrahim spoke on Thursday while addressing the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA-Africa Region) during its 56th meeting in Banjul, The Gambia.

The legislator represented the Nigerian senate at the event and presented a paper on behalf of Barau Jibrin, the deputy senate president.

The Ondo south senator said the deputy senate president supports improved oversight and increased budgeting for disability welfare.

He said the proposed legislation would ensure access to education at all levels for PWDs and include provisions for healthcare and sustainable living.

Ibrahim added that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda offers “incredible hope” for persons living with disabilities.

He said disability should not be treated as an unfortunate condition.

“The creator cannot be challenged. We must love them and make them happy and competitive in society,” he said.

He, however, lamented the absence of reliable data on persons with disabilities and urged the executive to act on developing a national database.

Ibrahim said the Tinubu administration is already addressing deprivation caused by ethnic and regional complexities through palliatives and balanced resource distribution.

He said this is the path to building an egalitarian society, adding that while every country faces specific problems, localised solutions will improve legitimacy and long-term stability.

“The universal declaration of human rights, as we discuss today, can only progress through innovation if it addresses issues of poverty and deprivation,” he said.

He added that unequal development in a federal state is a major threat to justice and national security.

Ibrahim urged the Commonwealth parliament to strengthen laws on gender equality, children, and youth protection.

He said the discussion must go beyond basic rights to include economic rights that ensure a decent standard of living.

Ibrahim also called on the CPA to support climate disaster legislation, citing the case of Ayetoro in his senatorial district, where rising sea levels have displaced communities.

The committee chair also said the Nigerian senate, under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio, is setting a good example of legislative harmony for sustainable growth.