Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) has assured Persons with Disabilities of a center which will accommodate all forms of disabilities, thereby enhancing prospects of a one-stop meeting point where partners and government agencies could easily reach and assist them.
LASODA’s General Manager, Oluwadamilare Ogundairo said this during the unveiling of a renovated Secretariat Complex of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), Lagos Chapter. The renovation was executed by Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, (RoLac) on Thursday.
In his remarks, the General Manager spoke on the importance of having a center where all PWDs can be placed to execute and plan all their program and activities.
Ogundairo was represented by the Director, Social, Development and Integration, LASODA, Mr. Kelani Akeem Tolu. Kelani commended SCIAN for the sacrifices which ultimately brought them to where they are today. He said there are up to eight different disability groups in Lagos State. It is remarkable that of these eight, only SCIAN has its own beautiful office.
“The eight clusters of PWDs, includes, Persons with Physical Disability, persons with Albinism, The Dwarf, The Deaf, Intellectual Disability, Blind Persons, Persons with Leprosy and SCIAN”.
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Ogundairo assured of LASODA’s support for SCIAN and all clusters of persons with disabilities in the best way it can. He also praised RoLAC and European Union for implementing the project. “you are good ambassadors of this country”, He said.
RoLAC representative, Abimbola Ushie said “One of the key aspect of our work is to provide access to justice for women, children and persons living with disabilities. These groups, we believe truly need support on access to their Rights”.
According to her, RoLAC had to pass through LASODA to identify with and meet the registered disability groups in Lagos – one after the other.
She further noted that each disability had its peculiar challenges but SCIAN’s were severe. That explains why at first engagement, the group requested for a Secretariat office. Abimbola explained that having such will help others walk in and have academical and logistics requirements for better engagement.
Speaking on the expectations RoLAC has on the group, Ushie said “We expect better engagement along with a justice-providing agency within government in time of advocacy and implementation.
Read Also: Kano State SCIAN Boss Donates Reading Materials To Kanawa Educational Foundation For The Disabled.
She also stressed the need for accessible justice premises, with hope of following up on actions and reports on issues that have been solved, ideas that have been achieved as well as improving on the place. Also, we intend to make various services accessible to disability community.
“If we advocate for our rights, inclusivity, access to justice through good plans, policies and procedures, then things will begin to change resulting in acceptance of Persons living with disabilities and making life easier for them.” She said.
National president of SCIAN, Obioha Ononogbu extolled RoLAC for the project, assuring that the members would use it judiciously.
Ononogbu who described SCIAN as very special group in disability community said “we live in pain. We can’t move like others. This secretariat will help a lot of our members to achieve something for ourselves”.
He said some of those who played their parts in developing the association had died but three of the founders including himself are still alive.
Earlier, Chairman of SCIAN Lagos chapter, Abdulwahab Matepo, in his welcome address, appreciated the sacrifices of those before him and which his members are benefiting today. He also thanked British Council and European Union for their donations. “Everybody should be ready to make sacrifice to move our association forward. This centre would go a long way in meeting some of our needs.” He said.
He reminded LASODA of the promises made by erstwhile General Manager to build a Disability hub where every cluster leaders will have an administrative office where they could easily be reached for assistance.
“If we can do this, it’ll be good and other States will emulate us. Government has many lands. If they can provide facilities somewhere, we can develop it. All PWD organizations will just be in one place and we will get the office for free.”
There were some complaints from members on the deplorable state of road leading to SCIAN complex and the indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles blocking these entrance into the complex.
