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By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Anambra State Disability Rights Commission (ASDRC), Thursday, assured readiness to initiate legal actions geared towards defending the persons with disabilities whose rights were violated unjustly.
Chairman of the Commission, Barr Chuks Ezewuzie, who stated this at Awka, the Anambra State capital, while unveiling agenda for the international day of persons with disabilities, said they have initiated legal actions for four PWDs already violated.
The cases already submitted to the legal team included Mr Victor Onwudiegwu who was denied access to driving applied by Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Nwokedi Philip, a person living with Albinism who escaped ritual killings attempt from a friend, and Mrs Ifeoma Ejidike, disfigured by brother's inlaw.
According to him, lawyers assembled and trained by the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme, were ready to fight for the PWDs rights on Pro Bono to ensure that justice delayed would no longer be denied.
"Our partnership and collaboration with the State Ministry of Justice and others will provide no excuse not to seek redress in court in accordance with sections 20 and 23 of Anambra State Disability Rights law. So if the rights of PWDs are infringed upon, they are now empowered to go to court and seek redress - the lawyers will represent them even where they are charged.
"We want to actualize the legal representation of persons with disabilities in Anambra State as powered by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC). RoLAC has helped in operationalizing the legal department of the Disability Rights Commision and even trained lawyers to handle cases on Pro bono basis for persons with disabilities," he stated.
He said the commission's plans for the December 3rd International day of persons with disabilities included tour of special education centres such as School of Deaf, Odoakpu Onitsha, Basden Memorial School, Isulo, and others at Umuchu and Awka.
Others were having an evening session with the United Nations' simulcast under the theme "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future," and seminars to drive investments opportunities in disabilities courses, road shows, public awareness campaigns and Thanksgiving services at worship centres.
Earlier, the RoLAC representative at the occasion, Mr Shedrack Nwekeagu, explained that the programme was not relenting in assisting the PWDs to secure justice, and urged the commission to leverage on the 2018 Anambra State Disability Rights law and pro bono lawyers to fast track the processes