World Disability Day: Employ more PLWDs, Group urges government

Ms Fajogun Akinlami, Vice President, Mandela Washington Fellow Alumni Association (MWFAAN), has called for employment of more people living with disabilities by government.

Akinlami, who said this on Tuesday during a press conference at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure to usher in this year’s World Disability Day, also called for easy access to public facilities by the people living with disabilities.

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According to her, the theme for this year’s celebration is: “The Future is Accessible”, with other activities lined up to celebrate the day, including sports like wheelchair racing, para-weightlifting and para-table tennis, among others.

She revealed that over 30 million Nigerians were living with disabilities, which was over 10 percent of the population and were suffering from usage of public facilities.

Akinlami also called on members of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to stop double-charging her members.

She said that the body wanted introduction of sign language subjects in primary schools so as to create jobs for members of the deaf community.

“We want to change the impression that persons living with disabilities must be beggars on the street or second class citizens, at best.

“Hence we are asking for more employment of persons living with disabilities, especially for disability sport athletes.

“We want government to sponsor short dramas, soap opera and jingles to properly sensitise the public on how best to relate with persons living with disabilities.

“We also want public facilities to be disability-friendly, especially banks, churches, mosques, schools and government offices, among others,” she said.

Akinlami said PLWDs in the state wanted the state government to champion the implementation of the Disability Rights Act.

She thanked Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for appointing an aide on
special persons, Hon. Folashade Arise and a board chaired by Mr Sammi Alegbeleye.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Ondo State chapter, Nigeria Association of Special Education Teachers, Mr Mike Ologbese, urged the people to allow PLWDs to have unlimited access to public facilities.

In his own remarks, a para-athlete, Mr Johnson Aikuoluwa, appealed to the state government to provide them sporting equipment for better performance.