Precious Williams (Corper) and Sakirat Akinbami(intern)
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Ogun State Chapter in collaboration with the Center for Disability Inclusion in Africa, on Thursday celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Penpushing reports that the ceremony held at Fati Lami Recreation Center for the Disable in Oke-Ilewo, area of Abeokuta had in attendance number of members of the association across the state as well as officials of the collaborating organization and representative of the officials of Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development
The Chairman of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Dr Michael Ndidi Ebohor in his welcome speech explained that the event was aimed to address the issues facing the disability community in the state.
Penpushing further reports that Ebohor lamented the neglect of Persons with Disability with the wrong notion that they are not capable, calling on government to equally engage them in governance, emphasized that they are capable.
‘Government should please help us and consider us because we are also human being, the government should make a law and pass it into action for the masses to follow not to treat the disable people anyhow’, he stated.
‘Persons with Disability are being set aside thinking they are not capable to work. We have the strength to work and government should create awareness for them. The Government should employ them into work at the federal, state and local level’, Ebohor said
Penpushing also reports that at the event one of the members Kolawole Adeosun speaking on behalf of others highlighted challenges being faced by them which include accommodation coupled with landlords’ disposition to them, non-availability of wheel chairs, transportation and qualitative education among others
The member similarly pointed out and lamented that because of their physical challenges, many of them have no access to acquire National Identity Number (NIN) and equally denied voting rights during election
Penpushing reports that Executive Director, Centre for Disability and Inclusion Africa, Yinka Olaito in a speech noted that more than 46% of older people have disabilities, stating that from background issues population of people with disabilities will increase nearly 2.1 billion by 2050
The Director emphasized that disability is more prevalent among females compared to males (8.3% and 6.5% respectively), adding that persons with disabilities increase with age, stating that statistics showed that 53.2% of persons aged 85 above falls within the category
Penpushing further reports that he said persons with disabilities have higher tendency of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, obesity or poor oral health, adding that they equally face many health inequities
The Director also noted that persons with disabilities find inaccessible and unaffordable transportation 15 times more difficult than those without disabilities, calling on government at all levels to rise up in addressing the challenges
Penpushing also reports that he emphasized need to implement the act in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as need for establishment of judicial institution of government that can speedily investigate, prosecute violators of the provision of the act.
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