Dr. Adebukola Adebayo
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Lagos State Chapter has urged the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to show more commitment to the issues affecting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the State.
Chairman of JONAPWD in Lagos, Dr. Adebukola Adebayo in a statement sent to Inclusive News Network (INN) congratulated the governor and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat for successfully piloting the affairs of the State in the last one year.
But Dr. Adebayo said though the association appreciates the Governor’s personal commitment to promoting disability inclusion and empowerment, there was no clear cut evidence to show a desire to institutionalize same in the last 365 days.
He said since his assumption of office, the Governor had failed to strengthen the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), noting that till date, the Office has no Board or General Manager to pilot its affairs.
“While we acknowledge and appreciate His Excellency’s personal commitment to promoting disability-inclusion and empowerment, Lagosians with disabilities are concerned that after one year, there haven’t been any evidence to show a strategic, institutional, policy/program-driven approach to implementing His Excellency’s passionate love for persons with disabilities.
“The Governor Sanwo-Olu THEMES Agenda offered Lagosians with disabilities some hope of enhancement of their inclusion in all sectors of life in our emerging smart mega city. However, the Administration has failed after one year to strengthen the Disability Agency (LASODA) with which it would have achieved this important goal. LASODA up till now has no Board and General Manager to pilot its affairs.”
He urged the Governor to see the beginning of the second year as an opportunity to get back on track and put a smile on the faces of Lagosians living with disabilities.
Dr. Adebayo particularly urged the Governor to urgently set-up and ensure the institutional strengthening of LASODA as well as restore the Disability Empowerment Fund.
He also urged him to issue an Executive Order mandating all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to set-up a Disability-Inclusion Desk to be supervised by a Director in charge of Planning as well as another Order mandating all Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to set-up Disability Support and Resource Office.
The Lagos JONAPWD chief also called for the full implementation of the Lagos State Policy on inclusive education.
“Lagosians with disabilities trust that these requests would have been granted by the end of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s second year in office. God bless our dear Governor, his Deputy and all those who work with them. God bless Lagos state,” he said.