Welcome, Login to your account.
A password will be e-mailed to you.
The Whistler NG - 247 Exclusive Stories and Breaking News in Government, Politics, Business, Tech And Entertainment
If you use wheelchair, you are not welcomed in many Federal Government ministries and agencies in the capital city, Abuja, because they are inaccessible to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Only a few Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA’s) have ramp that lead to the elevator, many do not have and the person on wheelchair would have to be assisted to get to the elevator area.
It is part of the discriminatory acts which the 2019 Disability Act was meant to correct. The Act clearly states that public buildings shall be constructed with the necessary accessibility aids for PWDs has not improved access to public buildings.
The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, became a law in 2019 and it prohibits discrimination based on disability and imposes sanctions including fines and prison sentences on those who contravene its provisions.
The Act is supposed to eliminate discrimination against the over 27 million PWDs in Nigeria and increase their chances of total integration into the society. Section 3 of the law states that “public buildings shall be constructed with the necessary accessibility aids such as lifts, ramp and other facilities that shall make them accessible and useable to persons with disabilities.”
The law allows a five- year transitory period within which “all public buildings or structures, whether immovable or not, must be modified and accessible to persons with disabilities including those on wheelchairs.”
While the transitional period will elapse in January next year, implementation is yet to fully take-off. The Act remains a dream, not reality for PWDs in the country as they continue to battle hurdles, including that of inaccessibility, erected by an insensitive society.
THE WHISTLER visited a number of ministries located at the Federal Secretariat Abuja and confirmed that while there are elevators to be used, there are no ramps leading to the elevator area of the buildings.
FLASHBACK: Man Who Sued Atiku On Wike’s Behalf Was Ex-VP’s Political Associate
Igwe Peter, Abiye Tobin-West Resign From Board Of International Breweries
Staircases also have no hand railings for use by visually-impaired persons.
At most of the ministries, huge crowd of people is always at the escalator, making it more difficult for PWDs to access offices above the ground floor.
Chairman of the National Association of Persons With Disability, Abuja Chapter, Agbo Christian, decried the low rate of implementation of the disability law in Nigeria.
According to him, accessibility is not just about lifts and ramps, but a society where all barriers are removed for PWDs.
“Disability is simply impairment if that impairment does not interfere with any barriers. if I am in a wheelchair and I can make use of the bus services and wheel into recreational centres and offices without any barrier, that means I’m no longer living like someone that has a disability because I can do whatever I want with ease.
“So we want all physical barriers to be taken off, it is not just about having lifts at the entrance, it’s about having a workable ramp and after then a sizable lift for my wheelchair to get in and then sizable office doors for me to access. The office environment should be so easy for me to move around all offices or the toilet in a way that I can go 360 inside, and the toilets must have rails for me to hold to pee.”
Labour Party Names Charles Odigbo Presidential Campaign Communication Lead
‘Wike Has A Case’ — Reactions As Rivers Gov Asks Court To Disqualify Atiku, Declare Him PDP Presidential Candidate
NLC Threatens Nationwide Industrial Action As ASUU Strike Enters Sixth Month
Gov Ortom Mourns Death Of Reuters Bureau Chief In Nigeria Chiahemen
Court Sentences Five Men For Posing As White Women To Commit Fraud In Ibadan
Residents In Fear As Bullets From Army Shooting Range Damage Property In Ibadan
Your email address will not be published.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
FLASHBACK: Man Who Sued Atiku On Wike’s Behalf Was Ex-VP’s Political Associate
Igwe Peter, Abiye Tobin-West Resign From Board Of International Breweries
2023: Ohanaeze Urges Igbo Youths To Embrace ‘Inter-Ethnic Solidarity’
Report Crude Oil Theft, Get Compensated, NNPC Tells Nigerians
Nigeria Faces Debt Crisis As Interest On Loans From IMF, World Bank, AfDB, Others To Gulp Over N7.2trn By 2030
APC Presidential Candidate Coordinator Sued Atiku In Wike’s Name, Says Ayu
I Didn’t Call Peter Obi Supporters Zombies – Femi Kuti
CONFIRMED: Abuja Court Fixes August 17 To Hear ‘Nyesom Wike’s’ Suit Challenging Atiku
I Did Not Sue Atiku – Wike
Ogun Becomes Hub Of Mineral Production, Accounts For 39.6% In 2021 — NBS
Tears As American Families With Igbo DNA Receive Tribal…
No Approval For Acquisition Of Exxon Mobil Shares By…
Rewane To Emefiele: ‘It’s Primitive Economics To…
Welcome, Login to your account.
A password will be e-mailed to you.