By Obansa Ibrahim, Lokoja
THE Executive Director, Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria, (INGRA), Hamza Aliyu has appealed to Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo to accent to the HIV Anti-Stigma Bill passed by the Kogi State House of Assembly to ensure the rights of the over three hundred people living with HIV/AIDS in the state.
He made the appeal on Thursday at a one day media roundtable for advancing the HIV anti-stigma bill and addressing issues around the stigma reduction.
He explained that the objective of the bill when accented to by the Governor, would prevent new infections and would also help to prevent stigmatization.
Aliyu also explained that the law which Is broad based, protects the rights and dignity of HIV affected person and eliminate all forms of discrimination.
According to him, the law creates supportive environment for people living with HIV and AIDs as well as create a safe and working environment for affected persons.
Aliyu who maintained that the law also gives an employer the right to take an affirmative action on requirements for a job noted that It also provided penalty for non compliance with the law, ranging from a two years prison term, payment of N500,000 fine or both.
The programme was implemented by Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria, (INGRA), with support from AIDS Healthcare Foundation, (AHF).