A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly representing Ogbomoso North state constituency, Hon. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji called on the state government to extend the law protecting the People Living with Disabilities to cover People with Albinism.
She called all the relevant stakeholders in the state to wake up to the call against the discrimination of the People with Albinism.
Hon. Oladeji, in a motion presented before the state’s Assembly on the “Immediate Need to Address Societal Discrimination Against People With Albinism (PWA) and Consider the when Distributing Dividends of Democracy” and seconded by Hon. Saminu Gbadamosi from Saki East/Atisbo, disclosed that the genetic formation and impaired vision are major stigmas that are putting People with Albinism in a disadvantageous position to have access to proper health care, good welfare system and secure good employment.
She expressed that Oyo State is the second highest on log of the states discriminating against People with Albinism with 26 percent, trailing Plateau State which is maintaining the first on the log with 34 percent.
According to the lawmaker, “it is on record that the Oyo State government is always considering People Living with Disabilities in times of distributing dividends of democracy. Even in the recently concluded recruitment of teachers in the state, a certain percentage was given to People Living with Disabilities. However, most often People with Albinism are always not remembered or better still not considered as people with special needs.”
While calling on the state government to extend the application of Oyo State Person Living with Disability Law, 2017 and other relevant international treaties to cover and apply to People with Albinism, Hon. Oladeji prayed that People with Albinism should always be considered whenever there is opportunity for employment in any government establishments.
The lawmaker also emphasized on public enlightenment programmes through primary healthcare centers for parents with albino children on how to cater for their medical, psychological and societal needs.
While passing the resolution on the motion, the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, urged the state government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and National Orientation Agency (NOA) to begin sensitization campaign against discrimination of People with Albinism especially in the rural communities.
