by Chris Agbo
The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Mr. David Obinna Anyaele speaking on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Persons with Disabilities via skype on Thursday morning on TVC Breakfast Show said that it is a serious concern for over 25 million Nigerians with disabilities which 70% reside in the rural area that persons with disabilities are excluded in the FG palliatives ongoing to lockdown for the control of COVID-19.
Speaking further, he said that Mr. President in his wisdom signed Disability bill into law which put persons with disabilities at advantage in a time of emergency like this but what we are seeing is a reversal of what it should be. For instance, the pallatives given to the poor by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Umar Farouk on Wednesday in kwali, Abuja, we didn’t see a single person with disability there. The persons with disabilities are not included in the social register of the ministry.
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 have not mentioned persons with disabilities in all their briefings and they have not been able to tell us how many of those who tested positive are persons with disabilities to enable us track them and make some special recommendations
Persons with disabilities are more vulnerable to COVID-19 because persons with disabilities are always dependent on the caregivers and many of them use assistive devices, if there is no measures put in place targeted to them, they stand the risk of contracting the virus, it is unfortunate that there is no state response directed to persons with disabilities at this critical time. It is disheartening that it took the intervention of a nonprofit organization who donated sign language interpreters to the PTF before they could have sign language interpreters in their briefings.
In Lagos State, we have Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs and up till now, Lagos State Governor have not deem fit to set up the board which make it difficult for the office to coordinate activities that will support persons with disabilities in Lagos State and in the Federal, government has refused to set a disability commission to help put modalities in place to assist government plan for persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities are the most vulnerable among Social group because many of them can’t walk, many can’t talk, many can’t see and federal government should make effort so that they should not be left behind.
He called on those in government and those who are close to the Minister of Humanitarian Affair and the President to make them understand that persons with disabilities were totally excluded in the Federal Government palliatives ongoing and PWDs require more assistance because they are more vulnerable than any other vulnerable group at a time like this.
