NAN-H-45
PWDs
By Grace Alegba
Lagos, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Alaba Gbadebo, the Executive Director, Benola, a cerebral palsy initiative, has advised the Federal Government to pay more attention to the welfare of People Living with Disabilities (PWDs).
Gbadebo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday, said that PWDs suffered a lot of discomfort because infrastructure development in the nation did not capture their needs.
She called for a legislation that would make sure that the Nigerian society is disability friendly.
Gbadebo, who is also a co-founder of the NGO, called for the implementation of laws that can protect the interest of the PWDS in order to reduce stress in their daily lives.
“Government should know that everybody is not the same, as some people have special needs.
“Hospitals, schools, banks, ATM points, public buildings must have some special arena, where people with wheel chairs can be made comfortable.
“Apart from that, all the medications of the seriously disabled children and adults should be free,” she said.
She implored the government to increase the employment quota for PWDS as well as those from poor backgrounds.
The co-founder also called on the government to place the caregivers of PWDs on allowances in line with global practices, so as to reduce stress on those involved.
“In the developed world, if you have a child with special needs or disability, everything for that child is free; you are even paid to look after the child.
‘’You are given wheel chairs and whatever the child needs,” she said.
Gbadebo said that Benola was established to bridge the gap and solve the problem of stigmatisation that could make some families to hide PWDs or even take their lives.
She also encouraged the parents of children with disabilities to ignore the social stigma on the PWDs and focus on how to groom the children for better opportunities ahead.
NAN recalls that the eighth Senate passed the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill, 2016 in July, which provides safeguards against any discrimination that the PWDs may be subjected to. (NAN)
GA/DUA/YEMI
Edited by Dada Ahmed
Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju