By Bose Adelaja

Persons living with disabilities in Lagos State have commended Governor Babatunde Fashola for signing the Lagos State Special People’s Bill into Law. According to them, the new legislation is rated among the best five in the world.

Speaking at a one-day Technical Workshop on Disability and Inclusive Policies in Lagos State, President of Lagos State Society Disability Policy Partnership, LCSDPP, Mr. Adebayo Adebukola said the Bill, was a plus for members of the State House of Assembly and disability groups. He called on stakeholders to develop strategies that will ensure constructive engagement with the lawmakers.

Adebukola said the LCSDPP was already in partnership with the Directorate for Rehabilitation in an attempt to develop a working relationship through which the disabled community can make meaningful influences on government policies.

He said the signing of the Bill was a proof that the Governor has positively empowered persons with disabilities. ‘’With this law, you have positively empowered persons with disabilities and activated their enormous productive capacities for the benefit of the state.

You have given protection to the vulnerable ones and voice to the voiceless, legs and hands to the limbless, sight to the blind and ears to the deaf; you have given social security to the poorest of the poor, you have delivered justice, equity and above all, social inclusion to those who are victims of perpetual degradation, discrimination and exclusion,’’ he said.

He also reiterated the determination of persons with disabilities to make good use of the opportunity given to them by the government. He assured that “the entire disability community in Lagos State, our groups and organisations, our civil society partners, local and international development partners, the organised private sector and well-meaning individuals and philanthropists in and outside the state are more than willing to demonstrate even greater understanding, cooperation and support towards ensuring effective partnership with the government by mapping out the most cost-effective means of implementing this historic law’’.

Speaking on, ‘’Public Policies in Lagos State: The need for inclusion and not exclusion’’, a disability specialist from the Republic of Ireland, Alex Chukwu, said it is high time Nigeria took a cue from other countries of the world.’’In developed countries of the world, disability has left charity based model for a long time and it is now operating on that of the social model. Lagos State being a front line state in Nigeria, is in the process of transforming its disability sector, which is also part of the transformation to suit the status of a mega city,’’ he said.

Director of Rehabilitation Office of Youth and Social Development, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Ajao Olabode, argued that the state has the largest persons with disabilities. He stated that people should treat them on equal terms with their able- bodied counterparts through provision of an enabling environment.