The Lagos State Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Dr. Adebukola Adebayo, has urged the over 2 million Persons with Disabilities in Lagos State to demand accountability in the management of funds and other services provided by the State Government.
Adebayo made the call in a 4-page letter addressed to leaders and organizations of Persons with Disabilities in Lagos State. He appealed to their consciences on the plight of vulnerable Lagosians with Disabilities while commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
According to him, “organizations of Persons With Disabilities, (OPDs) hold the key to advocating for the rights of People with Disabilities while holding the Government responsible and accountable for protecting the rights of PWDs.”
As Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Government nears its final year in office, Adebayo urged the State Government to set up a LASODA board and ensure all major disability clusters and JONAPWD are represented in its membership.
“We all know that LASODA does not currently have a Governing Board. By law, this is illegal and a breach of the Special People’s Law. The Law created a Board to ensure every cluster is represented in the management of LASODA so concerns, needs and interests of each cluster could be brought into the way LASODA designs and implements its programs.”
Adebayo charged the State Government to set up Disability Resource and Support Centers in all Local Government and Local Council Development Areas to ensure Disability support services are available to PWDs in their localities.
He demands Disability Fund be fully restored and made public under the full control of LASODA Board and leaders of the Disability community in Lagos State.
“ID Cards must be issued to all eligible PWDs in Lagos State, and these cards be embedded as a means of accessing education, health, transport and other basic services in the State”.
“Just recently, we were told that about 2000 slots from the Health Insurance scheme have been given to PWDs. Yet many of us leaders know how members are languishing in hospitals in need of one medical support or the other. Some of our members have died needlessly due to poor medical attention. The health insurance program needs review to accommodate the real needs of PWDs. This also applies to inclusive education and the BRT transport policy.”
Between 2017/2018, the previous LASODA Board approved that subventions/Grants be awarded to disability cluster Associations and other functional OPDs. These grants were intended to strengthen the associations and OPDs with a view to make them functional and effective in supporting Government’s efforts towards promoting rights of PWDs.
But according to Adebukola, since 2019 this subventions/grants to disability associations and OPDs have not been implemented and there are no indications that it will be.
He stressed the need to restore the annual subventions/grants to Disability cluster Associations and OPDs through the Disability Fund in order to strengthen them and make them more effective.”
INN reports that Adebukola also called for comprehensive and more sustainable economic empowerment programs specially designed for PWDs, and devoid of tokenism and charity-orientation. These programs should have substantial inputs from the various Disability Associations and Organizations.
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[…] INN reports that Adebukola also called for comprehensive and more sustainable economic empowerment programs specially designed for PWDs, and devoid of tokenism and charity-orientation. These programs should have substantial inputs from the various Disability Associations and Organizations. […]
[…] INN reports that Adebukola also called for comprehensive and more sustainable economic empowerment programs specially designed for PWDs, and devoid of tokenism and charity-orientation. These programs should have substantial inputs from the various Disability Associations and Organizations. […]