With a growing population of over 35 million Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria, the need to identify the seemingly unnoticed fraction of the macro-disability world has yet caught the attention of the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. James David Lalu.
The Executive Secretary while hosting the management team of Lions Heart Ability International Foundation recently in Abuja, expressed the commission’s readiness to form a viable synergy that will promote the awareness of the existence of persons with Deaf-blindness amongst other disabilities.
“I wish to categorically state here today that having more than one disability can be challenging and exhaustive” he opined.
Dr. Lalu described the condition of persons with Deaf-blindness as a case of double discrimination which requires extra attention and care.
On the urgent need for transformational education, the Executive Secretary pledged to work closely with Lions-Heart Ability International foundation to aggregate data on the number of persons with Deaf-blindness so as to adequately plan for their quality education to include scholarship schemes.
He further informed that the recent code of conduct for sign language interpreters which was earlier developed will be reviewed to accommodate the needs of the Deaf-Blind persons.
“This was as a result of the recent action plan that emanated from the commemoration of the International Day for Sign Language Interpreters held in Abuja” he said .
Reacting to the Executive Secretary’s comments, the Executive Director, Lions Heart International Foundation, Mr. Solomon Okelola expressed deep appreciation for the warm reception at the commission.
“I am so elated for your kind gesture to have this platform at this point in time” he echoed.
The organization’s CEO underscored that Deaf-Blind persons suffer dual-sensory loss.
In his illustrations, Okelola hinted that the tactile mode of communication is just one of the many forms of information dissemination with the Deaf-Blind.
During his appearance at the Human Rights Radio, the Brekete family programme today the 21st March, 2024 with some staff of the commission, Okelola equally elaborated on the need to pay attention towards educating the deaf-Blind.
He, however, lamented that the outcome of the recent survey by the Lions Heart International Foundation shows that only 3 out of the 47 Deaf- Blind persons found in Lagos state are educated.
He disclosed that Edo state has 3 uneducated Deaf-Blind persons, while Adamawa state has 21 uneducated ones.
According to him, the United Nations’ report depicts that there are no teachers for the intellectually impaired and this is posing a great challenge to the entire world.
He further highlighted the need for more tactile communicators in Hospitals, Banks, Airports and other public facilities in order to ease communications with the Deaf -Blind all over Nigeria.