Adebayo Adenrele, Grace Omachoko
…warns public against seeing PWD as beggars
As part of the continuous advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to gain inclusiveness in government, an Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiatives (AWWDI) has called on the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji to ensure that PWD occupy the position of Executive Secretary in the Office of Disability Affairs as stipulated by Part 8 of the Ekiti State Disability Law of 2020.
The group made this call in Ado-Ekiti on wednesday during a media parley and awareness campaign on sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls with disabilities.
The Initiative, which was supported by HIVOS PEOPLE UNLIMITED and WE LEAD, drawn participants from Media Houses, various Ministries, Agencies and Departments in the State to discuss on issues responsible for non-inclusion of PWDs in the governmental system.
According to the General Secretary, Joint National Association of Person’s With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Funso Olajide said the current Secretary of the Office of Disability Affairs is not a PWD, saying “he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.”
While also hailing the giant strides of Oyebanji in ensuring the welfare of PWDs in the state, he added that the public should show empathy to PWDs rather than sympathy because they are equal to everyone.
In his words, “According to Part 8 of the Ekiti State Disability Law, it talks about the appointment of the board members and as well as the executive secretary to the Office of Disability Affairs in Ekiti State.
“Currently, the person occupying the position is not a person with disability and it is affecting the kind of service that persons with disabilities in Ekiti state ought to be getting from that office.
“We recognize their effort but of course, it’s not going on as it should cause he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.
“We are calling on the disability loving governor of Ekiti State to look into the matter by appointing a person with disability who is going to be in the position of executive secretary. If this is done, it will signal the total inclusion that persons with disabilities are asking for.
In his response, Governor Biodun Oyebanji reiterated the readiness of his administration to give more adequate inclusive and welfare packages to the People With Disabilities (PDWs) in the state.
He also signified his readiness to include members of the PWDs in participation and equal representatives in all activities of his government.
Oyebanji, represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Community Communications, Mary Oso-Omotoso expressed worry over what he called marginalisation between the physically challenged persons and the people in the society by the previous administration in the state, assuring that his administration will continue to give adequate priority to the welfare of the PWDs.
The governor also reiterated that his government would continue to implement the disability law signed in 2020 and create more conducive environment for the PWD to operate.
While speaking on a topic of the lecture entitled: ” Women and Girls with Disabilities Matters” , the Programme Manager of AWWDI, Kolawole Jayeola lamented over what he called inability of the government to provide accessible facilities for the PWDs in public facilities.
He noted that PWDs should not be perceived as “charity people” but should be accorded the rights and privileges slated for other people.
“Ekiti state have signed into law, the act that protect persons with disabilities and we see that the act has not been implemented as it suppose to be.
“We should have a correct perspective concerning people with disabilities or community of persons with disability. They should not be view as Charity people, people you need to go and give N20 or one money in one shrine and when you’re bringing it out, you’re looking for a person with disability to give. That is wrong.
“We should not also see persons with disabilities as a burden but as part of the society as they have something to contribute in the development of our nation.”
On her part, the State Coordinator of AWWDI, Helen Ibitoyin enjoined the public to make the society free and fair for every citizens regardless of their physical challenges.
She noted that a society anticipating peace and tranquility must make facilities accessible for every citizenry.
“We want a society where it will be free and fair for all. Make the society fair for all, make it accessible for all, not for us.” She said
