A clarion call has been made to the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) to strengthen its role as the coordinating arm of government on disability matters in the state and go Beyond advocacy and awareness creation to taking more decisive steps towards enforcing the provisions of the Lagos State Special People's Law. The call was made by Mr Michael Fadeyi, a UK based Nigerian scholar, during the presentation of assistive devices to persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the International Press Centre, Ogba in Ikeja.
Mr Fadeyi said there was
a need for LASODA to take more steps in enforcing the law, especially where
there are clear cases of non-compliance.
“Where there are clear
cases of non-compliance by individuals, organisations, or institutions, such
matters should be pursued through the appropriate legal channels,” he stated, stressing
that effective enforcement would send a strong message that disability rights
are not acts of charity but matters of justice, dignity, and law.
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“Together, we can build
a Lagos where persons with disabilities are not merely included in policy
discussions but are fully considered in the design and implementation of health
and social programmes,” Mr Fadeyi added.
The UK based scholar also
advised that health initiatives targeted at persons with disabilities should go
beyond general programmes and recognise the additional financial and health
burdens they experience, adding that Healthcare support, insurance schemes,
subsidies, and social protection measures must take these realities into
account.
In his own words, “Since
part of what we are doing here today is health-related, the Lagos State
Government's health initiatives must be deliberately designed to meet the
particular needs of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities often
face economic realities that make them poorer than their non-disabled
counterparts, whether they are employed or unemployed. Disability frequently
comes with additional costs that many people do not see.
“For example, consider
a person who is blind and works for the Lagos State Government. Such an
individual may own a car like any other employee, but because they cannot
drive, they must employ the services of a driver. This is an extra expense that
a non-disabled employee may not have to bear. Similar hidden costs exist across
different disability groups, reducing disposable income and increasing
vulnerability to poverty.
“For this reason,
health initiatives targeted at persons with disabilities should go beyond
general programmes and recognise the additional financial and health burdens
they experience. Healthcare support, insurance schemes, subsidies, and social
protection measures must take these realities into account.”
Mr Fadeyi noted that
persons with disabilities are not a homogeneous group as Different disabilities come with different
health needs. A person with albinism, he said, may require specialised
dermatological care, regular skin examinations, and protection from the harmful
effects of the sun, which are entirely different from those of a blind person.
“Likewise, individuals
with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy may require
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and other specialised
interventions that are very different from the needs of persons with hearing
impairments. The implication is clear: a one-size-fits-all approach will not
adequately serve persons with disabilities. Health programmes must be
disability-responsive, inclusive, and tailored to the specific needs of
different impairment groups,” he stated.
The presentation of
assistive devices at the International Press Centre was the culmination of a
3-day event that included the donation of a desktop computer and a standalone
scanner to the Visually Impaired Unit of the University of Lagos Library, as
well as the donation of a washing
machine to Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted. The
beneficiaries were drawn from different clusters, including the Federal
Government College, Ijanikin, Let Cerebral Kids Learn Foundation, Divine
International Centre Solution for the Blind, Nigeria Association of the Blind
(NAB) and Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDDN).
The items distributed at
the event include: two desktop computers, anti-seizure medication for three
months for 10 children with cerebral palsy, games and learning materials for
blind students, accessible BP monitors for blind people; guide cane and talking
wristwatch, and one wheelchair.
The event
was initiated and supported by Michael Fadeyi, a doctoral researcher at the
University of Sussex, UK, with financial contributions from the Oliver family,
also in the United Kingdom. It was coordinated and executed by BO Foundation
for Inclusive Media (BOFIM), a non-governmental organisation that promotes the
rights of vulnerable and marginalised groups in Nigeria.
In her
remarks, Dr Oluwafunmilayo Adekola, Director, Monitoring, Evaluation and
Orientation, LASODA, representing the General Manager, Mrs Adenike
Oyetunde-Lawal, thanked Mr Fadeyi, BOFIM and the supporters for the initiative,
saying that the effort would help to enhance the well-being of PWDs
Dr
Adekola noted that the Lagos State government has rolled out different forms of
support to PWDs, but the government cannot do it alone, and encouraged
stakeholders within the space to join hands with the government to promote the
rights of PWDs in the state. She also urged the beneficiaries to make good use
of the items received.
The beneficiaries
expressed appreciation for the assistive devices, saying the devices would go a
long way in helping them to cope with the health, mobility and other challenges
that come with disability.
Speaking
on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Sunday Amabli, who represented the Special
Education Unit, Federal Government College, Ijanikin, appreciated the desktop
computer given to the unit.
“Our
students use typewriters currently; with the computer, they can learn better
and be computer literate, which would be useful in preparing them ahead of
higher institutions. With this, they can cope effectively in the higher
institutions,” he stated.
A parent receives a
three-month supply of medication for her child with cerebral palsy
L-R: University
Librarian, Prof Christopher Okiki; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services,
UNILAG Prof Muyiwa Falaye; Head Readers' Services, UNILAG, Prof E.A. Adekanmi;
Dr Onaadeojo, Head, Technical Services receiving accessible desktop
scanner and desktop computer
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