The Advocacy for Disability Act (ADAC), a consortium of five Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Joint Association of Persons with Disability (JONPWD) Gombe State Chapter and Association of Non-Governmental Organisation (ANGO) Gombe state have applauded the Gombe State Executive and the Judiciary for keeping to the integrity of their word.

This was contained in a press statement signed and made available to Jewel Times by the ADAC Cluster Anchor and Executive Director the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry.

The statement said “The five Civil Society Organizations are El-New Hope Foundation, Abia State; Global Youth Empowerment and Vulnerable Initiative, Adamawa State; Lawanti Development Community Foundation, Gombe State; Center for Peace Education and Community Development, Taraba State and the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Abuja”.

The Cluster is implementing the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) through Palladium funded by USAID.
The ADAC Cluster joins the population of over a half a million (594,015) Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Gombe State to applaud the Gombe State Ministry of Justice under the leadership of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr. Zubairu Muhammed Umar for reviewing the draft Gombe State Disability Bill and transmitting to the Executive Governor’s Office, His Excellency Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya.

The commitment to prioritize the review of this document was made during the ADAC Legislative Retreat to Harnessing Legislative Support on the Gombe and Taraba State Disability Bill at the City Green Hotel, Jimeita Yola, held on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 by the Ministry’s Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary Barr. Muhammad Samaila Hinna.

Ahead of the retreat, ADAC had engaged in advocacies with specific government agencies and held stakeholder forum where the Gombe State Draft Disability Bill was reviewed before submitting same to the Ministry of Justice.

With this development, the Cluster and the above groups, call on the Gombe State House of Assembly to implement their commitment made by the representative of the Gombe State Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo who was represented by the Chairman Gombe State House Committee on Education, Hon. Shuaibu Adamu to prioritize the legislative process for the Bill.

Gombe State has with this development demonstrated interest and commitment to issues that concerns the Disability Community and the ADAC remains optimistic that in no time, the state will join the league of inclusive states in Nigeria.

The ADAC once more humbly calls on Gombe State Governor, His Excellency Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to uphold the commitment in his statement “We remain resolute in our commitment to providing necessary support for the empowerment and dreams of our PWDs” and “Efforts are underway to establish an Agency to cater for the unique needs and welfare of our PWD community,” by making the Bill an Executive one and assented upon the completion of the legislative process.