Visually impaired citizens demand mobility orientation officers in 774 LGAs

The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB) has urged the Federal Government to set up mobility orientation officers  in the 774 Local Government Areas of the country.  The group said the mobility orientation officers’ responsibility would be to ensure that visually impaired persons were properly trained on how to make use of the white-cane for […]

The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB) has urged the Federal Government to set up mobility orientation officers  in the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. 

The group said the mobility orientation officers’ responsibility would be to ensure that visually impaired persons were properly trained on how to make use of the white-cane for mobility in their environment so as to avoid accidents.

According to data from the National Eye Health programme, as of 2020, a total of 1.3million people in Nigeria were blind, and an estimated 24 million people lived with vision loss while 50 million people had non-vision impairing eye conditions needing basic eye care services.

Speaking during the commemoration of the 2025 International White-Cane Safety Day in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital, Mr David Okon, Principal partner, TIL said the Nigerian environment does not encourage mobility for visually impaired persons in the country.

Okon said it was necessary for government to provide necessary facilities that aid mobility for the blind, and urged that drainages should be covered to afford accidents, and traffic lights should be made adaptable and accessible to the blind.

“It is good to have a white-cane, but without proper training and usage, it is useless to you. In addition, my president and chairman and coordinator, we should advocate seriously to the state government, to the federal government, to the local government that each local government in Nigeria, should employ mobility and orientation officer.

“They will be informed when a blind person, a visually impaired person, moves into their community. It will be their responsibility to fish him out, give him the proper orientation with his mobility cane to know the environment, to know how to get from one place to the other, at least from his house to the post office, train station, to the nearby school or wherever around,” he stated.

The event with the theme, “Vision Beyond Sight”, was sponsored by First Bank, Nigeria and organized by Nigeria Association of the Blind in partnership with Total Inclusion Limited/GTE,

First Bank’s representative at the event, Ms Aniekpeno Etuk said the financial institution had launched financial services for the blind and partially sighted persons without third party participation.

She revealed that with the initiative, the blind and partially sighted persons would be able to open bank account using braille and voice enablement.

While speaking, National President, NAB, Stanley Onyebuchi, applauded the Akwa Ibom government for support to its members, and called for training and ICT support for them, as he encouraged the virtually impaired to use their white cane daily and not be ashamed of using it.

In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Chairman, NAB, Nsikak Edet Udo said the 2025 celebration signifies a commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and empowering persons with visual impairment through collaborative efforts and impactful actions.

Okon said the society has the responsibility to remove physical and attitudinal barriers that hinder easy access for the visually impaired, and hoped that there would be a shift from just institution of policies to the actual implementation, and from intentions to impact.