Education

South-West Stakeholders Of PWD’s Call For Inclusiveness, Rights Protection

Published

3 years ago

Aug 17, 2021.

The Stakeholders meeting, was conveyed by Professor of Sociology and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Lagos State University, Prof. Wahab Elias with the support of the African Polling Institute (API) and funding by the Ford Foundation.

The one-day-stakeholders’ meeting is part of a six month project by the API, supported by the Ford Foundation, to conduct research and generate data on PWDs in Nigeria.

Stakeholders in the People with Disabilities Community in South-West of Nigeria on Monday, converged on the Lagos State University Main Campus, Ojo, to canvass for the domestication of persons with Disabilities (prohibition) Act in states of the federation, following President Buhari’s assent of the Act in 2019.

The Stakeholders meeting, was conveyed by Professor of Sociology and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Lagos State University, Prof. Wahab Elias with the support of the African Polling Institute (API) and funding by the Ford Foundation.

The meeting, which had representatives of PWDs across the six states of the South West in Nigeria- Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo- in attendance, was also aimed at generating data on the state of PWD in Nigeria to assist relevant agencies of the government in putting in place the right policies for the protection of rights of PWDs in the country.

At the end of the extensive deliberations, stakeholders were unanimous in their submission that there is need to work together amongst themselves, and collaborate with relevant individuals and agencies in order to make their goal of nationwide domestication of PWDs (prohibition) Act a reality.

In his Opening remarks, the Director General of Africa Polling Institute (API), Prof Bell Ihua enjoined participants to share robust ideas towards improving the conditions of PWDs in Nigeria.

He praised the Convener for inviting relevant stakeholders to the summit while pleading with the Government at the state level to effectively domesticate the Act.

The Convener, Prof. Elias, in his presentation, praised the Lagos State Government for for its efforts at making life better for people with disabilities in the state, a situation summed up by the fact that the state was the first in the country to pass the Act, ten years before the federal government.

He called on other states in the country to borrow a leaf from the Centre of Excellence by expediting action on the Acts in order to give the concerned people a sense of belonging.

While insisting that there is ability in disability, he called on governments across all levels to include PWDs in governance: “One of the things we hope to achieve is that the people with disabilities are properly included in governance of their states and whatever is due to them is appropriately assigned to them.

It is also important that we find ways to empower them and when they are empowered, it will engender the development that we need. Indeed, there is no meaningful development that can be made without properly inculcating them into the scheme of things”, he said.

Two academics in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Oyenuga and Dr. J.O Jawando also made insightful presentations on issues around inclusion of PWDs, provision of accessibility to PWDs in public facilities, obstacles to the domestication of the Bill and ways to accelerate domestication of the Bill in states, urging the government to eliminate all impediments to their well-being.

The Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Persons Living with Disabilities, Adenike Oyetunde Lawal, praised the Convener, Prof. Elias for organising the programme.

“I thank you for the intension behind this programme. For me, the quality of individuals represented here says a lot. Creating an intentional roadmap is the only way that Lagos will continue to promote matters of people with disabilities.”

The General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mr. Dare Dairo, in his remark, noted that the lack of data hinders meaningful progress: “The need for data cannot be overemphasized. But as far as people with disabilities are concerned, there are no enough data in the country. This programme will help in gathering of data to engender the right policies and actions on people with disabilities.”

Mr. Osinaike Edward, representing the Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos Chapter; Mr. Onitiju Kehinde, Senior Special Assistant to the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly and Barr. Joseph Oluwaseun Bulugbe, South-West Coordinator, Joint National Association of People with Disabilities also spoke at the programme.

The one-day-stakeholders’ meeting is part of a six month project by the API, supported by the Ford Foundation, to conduct research and generate data on PwDs in Nigeria.

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