Blind lawyer calls for attention to rehabilitation centres
NAN-S-3
Centres
By Franklin Ohaegbu
Lagos, March 16, 2017 (NAN) Danlami Basharu, Director of Anglo-Nigerian Welfare Association for the Blind (ANWAB), has urged the government to give adequate attention to rehabilitation centres for persons living with disabilities in the country.
ANWAB is a Lagos-based charitable and voluntary organisation aimed to create an enabling environment that will foster independence of blind people through education and welfare.
Basharu, also the Director of the association’s chess club, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that such centres existed globally to engage the affected people meaningfully.
“In developed countries, the blind people are regarded as first class citizens, they have everything for themselves, and they don’t feel that they are second class citizens.
“They have rehabilitation centres almost everywhere where such persons can go and make the best of their lives.
“If other governments can do that, I see no reason why we can’t do the same here.
“Even after schooling, many of the blind can as well go back to the centres to do something else.
“The sportsmen among them share same glory with those who can see, and they earn a living from sports,’’ Basharu, a Lagos-based lawyer said.
The Director, who is blind, said that the government should help to finance the constructions of more centres.
“I know that there are a lot of people who have families or friends that are blind and who are taking full responsibility to care for them at adulthood.
“It is not easy because it requires a lot of energy and funds to take care of the blind.
“But if we have such centres across the country, it would help relieve the stress from such individuals whereas the centres would be a home for all,’’ he said.
Basharu said that such measure would give the persons living with disability the opportunity to contribute their quota to nation building. (NAN)
FON/ENN/MEMO
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Mike Mbonye)