Despite the signing into law of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 23, 2019, life is still far from being easy for People with Disabilities (PWDs), as several efforts made by the government to integrate PWDs into the society are only in the realm of policies because only a few private and public organizations are willing to adhere to the law. Most organizations are skeptical about offering them employments despite that the law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and imposes sanctions including fines and prison sentences on those that contravene it. The law also stipulates a five-year transitional period for modifying public buildings, structures and automobiles to make them accessible and usable for people with disabilities.
In spite of the popular saying that there is ability in disability’, there are many cultural, political, economic and social barriers that have served to deter full participation of persons with mental or physical disabilities in various gatherings be it in academic circle, sports, arts, business, politics, social events and even religious gatherings, thereby hindering their well-being.
While some are born with physical and mental disabilities, some end up as casualties of a sudden, yet are equally accorded second-class status in our polity. Succinctly, the doctrine of human frailty should make all appreciate that today one may be fit, yet not have the same luxury of agility tomorrow. This buttresses the need to show utmost concern to the needs and rights of persons with disabilities in our society by providing the enabling environment for them to realize their full potentials in all spheres of human endeavour and closing the structural nature of the prevalent gap.
In order to give them the sense of belonging and bridge up the prevalent structural nature gap, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities takes up the challenge as it embarks on a pilot scheme (as a prototype) of ensuring easy access to public premises, road and sidewalk by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), by building ramps and accessible toilets at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. Ramp was also constructed at the University of Ilorin Sport Centre to enable Persons with Disabilities access the centre to display their God-given potentials in Sports.
The project that is presently ready for commissioning as one of the ongoing Accessible Facility Project for Persons with Disabilities. The project which is not limited to but includes; a block of six toilets with facilities and ramps in various school buildings to aid persons with physical disability accessibility to these facilities.
The purpose of the project according to the commission is to improve well-being of Persons with Disabilities across the country and also to examples to the University Authority to abide by the provisions of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill 2018.
There are numerous laudable provisions of the Bill including but not limited to: protection against discrimination of PWDs, easy access to public premises/road/sidewalk, prohibition of use of persons with disabilities to solicit for alms, free education, free healthcare, right to work and employment, right to participation in politics, a National Commission to address complaints of harassment, discrimination and harmful practices amongst others.
The law a parts from prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability and imposes sanctions including fines and prison sentences on those that contravene it, it also stipulates a five-year transitional period for modifying public buildings, structures and automobiles to make them accessible and usable for people with disabilities.
Two different view of newly constructed Accessible toilet
