The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA) as part of its lined up activity for her Ford Foundation funded project on Promoting Disability Bill and Citizens with Disabilities Participation in Electoral Process in Nigeria on Thursday, July 5.
The delegates were accompanied to the event by representatives of Persons With Disabilities (PWD) from various centres including visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically challenged among others.
According to the executive director of CCD, Mr. David Anyaele, who led the team, “the purpose of the meeting was to brief LASODA on the outcome of a research the centre conducted on compliance of public institutions in Lagos State to the provisions of the Lagos State Special People’s Law (LSSPL) which was conducted under the above mentioned project.”
Anyaele, said the research was targeted at strengthening the implementation of LSSPL in the State as well as enhance the welfare of PWDs.
He added that the report reveals that there is weak enforcement of the law by ministries, departments and agencies, he decried the substandard ramps provided by various ministries which he qualified as death traps, constructing bad ramps is a risk to physically challenged persons on wheelchairs, it will further compile their problem, by doing that you are putting PWDs at risk.
Anyaele further called on LASODA to see to the reconstruction of the ramps by erring MDAs.
It was also an opportunity for the executive director to pledge CCD’s readiness to partner with LASODA in sensitizing state actors on the provisions of LSSPL. According to him, “On our part, we want to partner with you, CCD, will mobilize resources to sensitize justice sectors and LGA Chairmen.”
In his reaction, the Deputy General Manager, LASODA, Mr. Alejo Adegboyega Adeoye applauded CCD for her numerous activities targeted at promoting the rights and welfare of PWDs. He said, “You are really making a positive impact in the lives of PWDs and complimenting the role of our agency.”
Also commending executive director of CCD, Adeoye said, “Mr. Anyaele, you are carving your name in gold, you have taken a single step in championing the course of PWDs leading to the establishment of LASODA which is still growing, you are like a storey building upon which this is built.”
In another development, the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, LASODA, Mr. Oguntoye Akintunde, noted that LASODA cannot perform its roles and responsibilities alone and needs lot of collaboration to function.
The agency also called on CCD to be more visible and allow the public appreciate her efforts by submitting the monthly reports of their activities to LASODA.
Anyaele also presented a copy of the report of another research CCD also conducted on the Ford Foundation Project. The report is tagged “Assessment of Provisions for Persons with Disability in INEC Preparations for 2019 Elections in Nigeria”.
