More than two million Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, under the aegis of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD, are calling on the Lagos State Government to consider addressing the inadequacies of the present administration as it is planning for the General Elections in 2023.
The group is asking and demanding that the current government and those that will come into power in 2023 should demonstrate the goodwill to implement the Special People’s Law, SPL.
The Special People’s Law, SPL, which was first passed 10 years ago by the Lagos State House of Assembly, specifically on June 21, 2012 and assented to by the then Governor of the State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) in Ikeja, on June 24, 2011 has generated so much concerns over its implementation because it is a law that would safeguard PWDs against all forms of discrimination and equalise their opportunities in all aspects of living in the society.
JONAPWD is unhappy that the level of responsiveness to the plights of the physically challenged communities in the state is very poor and the state government, its law-making body need to do more in the face of myraids of challenges confronting them.
This position was made known by representatives of clusters of persons with disabilities, on Thursday in Lagos.
Dr. Adebukola Adebayo, the Chairman JONAPWD Lagos, during the presentation of a Charter of Demands and Agenda of Persons with Disabilities to Political Parties and Candidates contesting for General Elections in 2023 said that the law making executives; that is, the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly should review the law.
According to Dr. Adebayo, the law is outdated and needs to be reviewed so as to meet the current realities.
He added, “We also want the House of Assembly to ensure that in every law they are making, it must reflect every aspect of our lives to disability inclusion.”
They want the House of Assembly in Lagos State to establish a disability unit so that there can be institutional support and sustainability as obtainable in the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, LASODA.
He said, “There should also be a disability unit in the House of Assembly.”
“The law makers should ensure appropriation of sufficient resources to supporting disabilities issues in the state, Dr. Adebayo said.
He further urged that the criminal justice sectors should make room for access to justice for Persons With Disabilities, PWDs.
He lamented the situation where PWDs cannot access justice when they go to police station because of non-availability of sign language interpreters for the deaf person to support them either at the station or the law court for a reason or another.
He raised the concerns this way,“ And you don’t have all the necessary enablement to allow you get the justice within the justice system.”
The group also demanded for a framework to allow the judiciary to interpret law swiftly and effectively across board.
He said, “Regular capacity building of the judicial and law enforcement officers; and provision of reasonable accommodation such as the issue of sign language should be taken care of.”
He noted, “Despite the fact that we have a disability law and disability office, a lot still needs to be done to ensure full inclusion, total inclusion of persons with disabilities in all our socio-political and economic lives.”
“PWDs are still not getting what they desire because the policy, the law itself is not properly implemented,” he said.
Also, Bisi Bamishe, National President, Albinism Association of Nigeria, AAN, while speaking at the event, said, “We want the state government to take disability communities in Lagos State seriously.”
She said in the area of education, there’s need for awareness against discrimination, as being experienced by PWDs when they want to board the BRT buses, because their staff have not been trained, even though there is provision on the bus for the physically-challenged persons. She reiterated the need for preference to be given to the PWDs at public places such as hospitals, banks, etc.
She advised government agency to create awareness for the public on the conditions of people with disabilities, to reduce their challenges.
She said people are of the view that people with albinism are not disabled, yet she countered, “But they are, because of low vision.”
She explained further, “That is just the major disability for people with albinism, aside the issue of dissolving our melanin which results to skin cancer and many are dying everyday since they are not able to get medical attention.”
She however stressed that office for PWDs should create awareness to counteract the challenges.
“When we go for NIN, they ask us to stay in the sun,” she lamented.
She reiterated on the need for law makers to make disability law and ensure they are implemented.
“If all these are done in our behalf, I think there will be better life for PWDs in Lagos State especially.
Mr. Adewale Adeyanju, Chairman, Media Committee, JONAPWD Lagos State Chapter who appeared to be representing the speech impaired clusters said we want political parties and those contesting in the elections not to make empty promises to us.
Speaking through an interpreter, Adeyanju said,”We want to be inclusive, to participate.
He expressed fears in the scheme of political promises,”If we keep quiet as election is coming, they will do the same thing, we want talk and do and not to use us and dump us.”
The Publisher of BONews, Blessing Oladunjoye informed that there are indeed gaps to be closed by governments down to the local government levels.
She said this on the premise of a research findings presented which indicates that PWDs are not being included in plans by the government.
According to her mainstreaming disabilities inclusion in Lagos State is put at 34 per cent
She also highlighted the challenges and possible ways by which problems of the disabled could be addressed within the state.
