A civil society organization, Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) has called for speedy passage of the bill for a law to provide for the prevention of HIV/AIDS based discrimination at the Kogi State House of Assembly.
In a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday, the Executive Director of INGRA, Hamza Aliyu, also called on Governor Usman Ododo to quickly assent the bill, once passed by the House, to give persons living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi state a respite from the deluge of discrimination that they have been facing.
The Bill which is sponsored by Hon Bin Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani, member representing Lokoja I State Constituency, is supported by the Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria/International.
The Bill was first read on the floor of Kogi State House of Assembly on Thursday, March 28th, 2024, and subsequently read for the first time on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024. The Second Reading of the Bill was done on the 7th May 2024.
Speaking on the public hearing of the bill organized by the Kogi State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Health and Justice/Judicial Matters on Thursday, Aliyu commended the Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, for identifying with the yearnings of the citizens, especially the most vulnerable in society.
“This is what good governance should be about. We also wish to appreciate the Chairmen of the Committees on Health and Justice for their efforts in bringing about this engagement.
“Again, this would have been impossible without the inputs from stakeholders including the civil society, religious and traditional institutions in the state.
“The Bill objectives are to prevent the acquisition of the dreaded virus, HIV and its disease, AIDS, as well as its spread in cases where the virus had already been acquired, as well as to eliminate discrimination and protect the rights and dignity of those living with or affected by the virus or its disease.
“The law will give persons living with HIV and AIDS in Kogi State respite from the deluge of discrimination that they have faced over the years in the state,” he said.
