By Ayodele Abere
The Executive Director of Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI Nig).Mr.Olajide Funso Benjamin, has called on the government of Ekiti State to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Olajide made the call on Tuesday in an interview with journalists after a one day workshop comprising persons with disabilities, media and legal practitioners, security agents, and government officials.
Speaking on the theme:” Concept and Mainstreaming of Accessibility into Programs and Projects“,the Executive Director of DINABI said, the objective of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of the duty-bearers and the right holders to be able to mainstream accessibility into public facilities and services in Ekiti State.
According to him, “Ekiti government has been doing a lot for us. They have employed the sign language interpreters to key ministries and agencies which is part of what we are asking for.
“But there are lots of things that still have to be done. For instance, most of the public buildings in Ekiti State are not accessible to persons with disabilities and some of these things needed to be put in place, some of the government’s documents need to be in brail format so that the visually impaired will be able to read.
“Most of the programmes and events of government also have to have sign language interpreters. These are some of the little things we are asking for and we are also calling on building professionals, the architects and building/ Civil Engineers to also incorporate the necessary guidelines into whatever structure they are erecting in Ekiti State as contained in the National Building Code.
He added that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory authority for the telecommunications sector in Nigeria, has issued guidelines on accessibility to promote inclusive communication services.
The Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State, Barrister Oyinade Olatunbosun, while describing the workshop as an eye opener, Pleaded with everyone out there to ensure that persons with disabilities are given due consideration in whatever they are doing.
“They are part of us and they should be carried along in all that we are doing so that they can feel like human beings that they are really are. We have been having a lot of programmes without thinking of having an interpreter for the hearing impaired persons”, Oyinade said.
Looking at the fact that Part 11, Section 3 and 4 of Ekiti State Disability Law, 2020, states that PWDs have the right to access the physical environment and building on an equal basis with others; that Public buildings will be constructed with the necessary accessibility aids such as lifts where necessary, ramps and any other facility that shall make them accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities.
The legal practitioner, therefore said that all law sections that relate to persons with disabilities should be given full implementation for them to have a better life.
Also, the Desk Officer for Persons with Disabilities, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ekiti State Command, Adejuwon Yemisi, said the workshop was a very good one which according to her, further enabled participants to understand that disability is not a barrier.
While encouraging anyone having any form of disability not to look down on himself/herself, she equally advised government and private sectors to always put into consideration the persons with disabilities whenever they are working on any building by making it accessible for them.
