Many challenges of persons living with disabilities

Persons living with disabilities are struggling to survive amidst discriminations, lack of access to basic necessities of life, abandonment and myriads of other challenges, Daily Trust Saturday reports. The United Nations General Assembly in 1992 set aside December 3 of every year as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to bring attention to their […]

Persons living with disabilities are struggling to survive amidst discriminations, lack of access to basic necessities of life, abandonment and myriads of other challenges, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

The United Nations General Assembly in 1992 set aside December 3 of every year as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to bring attention to their plights as well as mobilize supports for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

The day also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that in many states of the federation, persons with disabilities are not finding life easy due to the negative attitude of the society towards them.

Persons with disabilities in Akwa Ibom State have cried out against neglect, saying the government has abandoned its responsibilities towards them.

The National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Association of the Blind, Mr. Ubong Udo, who lamented the neglect of PWDs in the area of education, said there is only one special education school in Uyo meant to accommodate the over 1 million persons with disabilities in the state.

He said provisions were not made for PWDs in schools across the state as government has not made concerted efforts to make education accessible for them.

He explained that the scholarships scheme instituted by former Governor Victor Attah for PWDs had been stopped, and called on the government to re-introduce the scheme as it was the lifeline of many of them.

In the area of employment, Udo revealed that the state has more than 30 blind graduates in Akwa Ibom roaming the streets in search of jobs.

He said the association has written to the Head of Service, and pleaded with him to give concession to the graduates among them in the area of employment but their pleas have gone unheeded, adding that government should consider them in the proposed employment of 1,000 secondary school teachers across the state.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, Mr. Edmond Ekanem, expressed displeasure that the state government failed to celebrate the 2020 World Disabilities Day.

Responding, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Ini Adiakpan, appealed to PWDs to bear with the government.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic affected the economic fortunes of the state and frustrated government’s plans for them.

She urged them to exercise patience as programmes schedule for them like the World Cane Day, which was to be celebrated on October 15 but was missed, would still be celebrated.

“They (PWDs) should not lose faith. We would still celebrate the World Cane Day for the Blind. You are aware that other places like the UK had been locked down again due to COVID-19 but we are lucky. The naira has been devalued. Things are moving slowly. They should exercise patience. We would first implement the cane day,” she said.

In similar vein, PWDs in Kebbi State also lamented the neglect and abandonment by the government.

The state’s chairman of Joint National Association of People Living with Disabilities, Aliyu Altine Riba, said for two years running, the state government failed to celebrate the international day for PWDs.

He said despite having university graduates among them, securing employment into the state civil service had been difficult as most of the job vacancies are always filled by able bodied people at the detriment of PWDs who had the required qualifications to fill such posts.

Riba also spoke about the collapse of skills acquisition center for the blind, saying in as much as the government wants their members to be off the streets, it must make sure that they (members) are trained in skills that could serve as sources of livelihood for them.

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Women Affairs, Aisha Maikurata, said plan was on to mark this year’s World Disabilities Day in the state, adding that the skill acquisition center for the disables in Argungu is fully functional. She said skills such computer application, tailoring and vulcanizing are taught there.

She noted that the request for creation of an office of a Special Assistant for the disabled and their recruitment into the state civil service would be forwarded to appropriate authority for consideration.

In Lagos, PWDs are worried over the issues of discrimination and stigmatization they suffer in the society.

Speaking on the situation, the Executive Director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Mr. David Anyaele, stressed the need to address the issue of discrimination against PWDs, pointing out that some PWDS have committed suicide because of stigma and discrimination.

“Sometimes, when I see the way people discriminate against me, I weep. It was not so before my two hands were amputated. Life has not been the same since the amputation. Even some of my friends discriminate against me,” he lamented.

He stressed the need for government at all levels to embark on re-orientation of the society on the dangers of stigma and discrimination.

Sussan Kelechi Ihioma, who’s crippled, said she has faced years of discrimination and that after seven years of volunteering with the Lagos State Ministries of Health and Education; she was yet to get a job.

Also, Oluwakemi Odusanya, an enthusiast for disability inclusion management and currently works as the Admin/ Program Officer for the Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), noted that the effect of COVID-19 took more tolls on persons with disabilities.

She further noted that most of the jingles on COVID-19 safety guideline including, hand washing, social distancing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers were not available in accessible formats as she pointed out that the social/physical distancing is almost impossible for the blind and visually impaired persons who rely on supports from others.    She urged government and private organizations to build an inclusive and accessible space that will accommodate every individual’s needs.  The Lagos State Government in 2011 passed the Disability Law while it also established the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) as well as provided grants for PWDs as part of efforts to support the cause of PWDs.

In Kaduna, the President of Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, Comrade Rilwan Muhammad Abdullahi, said some of the challenges faced by his members include discrimination, lack of employment opportunities, lack of access to sound education, and health care among others.

He however said the government has commenced the process of addressing those challenges through the National Disability Act recently passed.

He said the National Disability Act also talks about the need for companies or agencies to earmark 5 percent of its employment opportunities to persons with disabilities.

The Act, according to him, emphasizes the need for structures to be made accessible for persons with disabilities.

He therefore called for the implementation of the Disability Act to address the challenges facing the PWDs.

In Kogi, one of the PWDs, Ishaq Dan Imam, who spoke to our correspondent said the issue of discrimination depends on one’s personality and how one views one’s self.

He was of the opinion that Nigerians have the tendency to look down on people with disabilities but said that such impression was wrong.

He admitted that his disability affected his marriage. According to him, a physically challenged person might fall in love with a girl who is ready to marry him, but might meet stiff opposition from the parents and other relatives of the girl.

“I was able to overcome this hurdle and I am happily married to two good wives. I have educated and God-fearing wives that are presentable anywhere,” adding that he is among the lucky ones that are so privileged.

National Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Kogi State, Solomon Yahaya, lamented that PWDs in the state were not getting the needed supports from the government, saying his members face a lot of hardship.

In Katsina, Ahmed Musa Mashi, Chairman Joint National Association of Person With Disabilities (JONAPWD) Katsina, complained over the stigmatization and discrimination his member people are going through in the state.

“Some people treat us with contempt, thinking that we are nothing but liability to them. For example, while walking along with my son, some people considered him more sensible because he is a so-called normal person, forgetting the fact that I was the one who enrolled the boy in school.

“We want people to consider and understand that disability does not mean that a person is mentally deficient. Our people have sound mental health and, in most cases, sharper intuition than the so-called normal persons because we have holders of all categories of certificates amongst us,” he said.

He said due to the level of education attained by people living with disabilities in the state, the issue of street begging as far as his members are concerned was declining.

On his part, the Secretary, National Cripples Association, Katsina State branch, Malam Tukur Rilwan, said members face challenges in the area of employment, especially in the private sector.

He however praised the administration of Governor Masari, saying, “This government has special consideration for people with disability, though there is still room for more”.

On his part, the Special Assistant (SA) to the governor on People Living with Disabilities, Ya’u Rufa’i Zakka, said the state government was doing its best to ensure the welfare of people with special needs in the state both in terms of education and in terms of economic empowerment.

Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Ms. Grace Jerry, said the theme for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) commemoration “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”, was food for thought.

According to her, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world, with PWDs among the worst affected groups, with the health, economic and other consequences of the pandemic which negatively impacted the political and socio-economic wellbeing of PWDs.

“IFA calls on INEC, the executive, state governments and other stakeholders to implement the comprehensive recommendations in our 2020 “Breaking the Barriers Report”. Prominent among them being, making polling units more physically accessible for PWDs and collecting data of PWDs across Nigeria to enhance planning for PWDs during elections,” she said.