Lagos State is set to redesign public infrastructures to accommodate wheelchair access for disabled persons
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has announced plans to redesign all public infrastructures to make them wheelchair accessible.
In his address to mark the 2013 World Human Rights Day celebration with the theme " Rights of People Living with Disabilities" and Human Rights Essay and Debate Competition for Private and Public Schools at Adeyemi-Bero auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja.
The governor, who was represented by the state's Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ade Ipaye pointed out that the protection of rights is all inclusive involving the government and private individuals. He said the state has already passed the Special People's Law in 2011 into law to address the challenges being faced by people living with disabilities, the law was also intended to safeguard them against all forms of discrimination and equal opportunities in all aspects of living in the society.
Fashola said the state had provided that the physically challenged enjoy equal opportunity in terms of employment stressing, "the state is an equal opportunity employer without discriminating against prospective employees on the ground of physical infirmity. He said that not less than four state counsels who are physically challenged have been employed in the ministry of justice alone,pointing out that they are performing excellently well in office and that the state had put measures in place to ensure that at every public parking lots, at least one out of 20 parking lots is properly marked and reserved for persons living with disability.( thumpsup)
Earlier in a key address, the dean of Law, University of Lagos, Prof Imran Oluwole Smith remarked that there could not be a human right without the rights of people with disabilities.
Prof. Smith who was represented by the Head of Department , Private and Property Law University of Lagos, Dr Chinwuba Nwudego, urged other state governments to emulate Lagos state government in recognizing the rights of the special people's rights by passing disability rights.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Solicitor General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN) remarked that disability should not prevent any person from achieving success in life, He berated all those who discriminate against disabled person and ascribed their attitude. Pedro also said that records have shown that physically challenged persons performed better than others if given the opportunity.
A step in the right direction now wheelchair users can move around freely in some public places.....!
All African Governments should work towards providing equal opportunities for the citizenry. This provision has to be made in all spheres of human endeavor especially in the provision of infrastructures to equally cater for the special needs of the physically challenged persons and not the usual assumption that none is physically challenged. From reservation of parking spaces, wheel chair entrances, writing and reading supports etc, there is more to be done to relocate these our brothers and sisters from the streets.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Making sure children get screened for dyslexia which affects a lot of people around here. And they are tagged Dull....in yoruba Olodo, when all the child wanted was just a little more time, bc they assimilated slower.
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