LASG Opposes Discrimination Against Disabled

As the world marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Lagos State Government has vowed to champion moves against discrimination against physically challenged people.

Speaking during the celebration of the event and stakeholders forum in Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru lamented that physically challenged people often faced challenges as a result of their conditions.

The theme of the celebration is: Removing Barriers to Create an Inclusive and Accessible Society for All.

According to Badru, “these barriers can take a variety of forms which include those relating to the physical environment or to accessing information and communication technology or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or outright discrimination.

“The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to some of these services, which include education, employment, healthcare, transportation, political participation and justice, among others,” he said.

He added that “evidence and experience have shown that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and they are adequately empowered to participate in societal engagements, the entire community benefits. ”

Badru stressed the need for all to collectively work to enhance the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities to ensure a prosperous world, saying that the state government and individuals should re-affirm their commitment to ensuring that disabled people were guaranteed these rights without discrimination.

Director, Finance and Administration, Youth and Social Development, Mr. Fariudeen Akodu appealed to NGOs and well meaning Nigerians to contribute their quota to the development of the physically challenged, saying it serves to complement government’s effort.

He said the occasion marked another resolve by the government and the people of the world to drum necessary support for the physically challenged.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga