The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development has organized a stakeholders’ meeting with representatives of clusters of People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the state.
The one day programme held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Building in Alausa was in conjunction with the United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA).
It aimed at ensuring that the PWDs, like every other person, are accorded equal access to everything required to make life worth living.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary, Dr Olugbenga Ayoola Aina said that over 1 billion people are estimated to experience disability.
According to him, “the concept of disability is worth paying attention to with all our resources because the PWDs are being subjected to dehumanizing conditions.
”Aina stressed that in line with Article 25 of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Lagos State Government has put in place different policies and programmes to give people with disabilities opportunities to express their potentials in various areas.
He added that it was to attend to issues affecting the PWDs in the scheme of things in the state that Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA) was established.
Dr Amaka Momah-Haruna, representative of UNFPA said the Stakeholders Meeting was long overdue because the organization had noticed that persons with disabilities were being sidelined in many areas of life.
In the same vein, General Manager, LASODA, Mr Oluwadamilare Ogundairo, said that the agency would not relent in contributing its quota in terms of sensitisation and advocacy in championing the needs of the PWDs.
Ogundairo, represented by Mr Kelani Akeem Tolu, HOD, Social Development and Integration, noted that for the PWDs to be able to enjoy their full rights, the society must emphasize issues affecting the sector as part their culture.
Director, Youth Department, Mr Abdulateef Saka disclosed that the Ministry in recognition of the need to entrench inclusivity decided to give the PWDs a reasonable percentage in Lagos State Youth Parliament.
Representatives of all the clusters were unanimous on the government empowering and patronising them, including them in the law-making process as well as assisting them in transportation, housing and health.
In their various presentations, the facilitators, Dr Y.O.A Shogbamimu from Lagos Ministry of Health and Mr Benson Ohemu from USAID emphasized issues affecting the PWDs and how they could be tackled.
