Implement Laws against Discrimination of Physically Challenged, Don Tasks Govt

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Former Dean of School of Engineering, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State, Prof. Sabit Ariyo Olagoke, has said the full implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 by the three tiers of government in the country is the remedy to integrating the physical challenged in all areas of human endeavour.

Olagoke, while speaking yesterday at the Celebrities Plus Conference organised for

persons with disabilities (PWDs), said the integration of the physical challenged would reduce discrimination, marginalisation and oppression of PWDs across the country.

According to him, the law which was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2019, was aimed at ending discrimination against persons with disabilities across the country, lamenting that the law is not yet effective.

He insisted that the only way to end discrimination, marginalisation and oppression of persons with disabilities as provided in the law is for government at all levels to integrate them in areas such as education, health, economy and social activities.

Olagoke, who is the founder and spiritual head of Shafaudeen in Islam Worldwide, while speaking at the event with the theme: ‘Talent, creativity and disability-realities and solutions in Nigeria entertainment industry’, urged the government and other stakeholders to see PWDs as parts of the society, stating that the major challenges facing PWDs in Nigeria is stigmatisation and marginalisation by the able bodied.

He maintained that persons with disabilities are being abused on a daily basis because they are not integrated into the society and due to the ineffectiveness of the disability law.

According to him, “They are being abused on daily basis. They face more challenges more than abled bodied people. There is no special budget for PWDs and the major problem is that they are not integrated into the society. The government should be able to plan for them but you cannot plan for people that you do not have their statistics. We do not know the number of PWDs in Nigeria.”

“PWDs must be integrated into the society. They should have representation in politics, health, education and other sectors. We are talking about inclusion in the society. There are a lot of them that have talents. We should let the society know that they are also part of the society.”