Ten years after its passage, persons living with disability in Lagos State have decried what they described as weak implementation of the law to protect them.
The law cited as Lagos State Special People’s Law 2010 was passed by the State House of Assembly on June 21, 2011, and assented to by former Governor Babatunde Fashola three days after.
The law contains provisions that would ensure people with disability in the state are protected against discrimination, cruelty and inhuman treatment, provision of facility at public building, protection at situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, provision for adequate standard of living and social protection.
Sections of the law also provided for the right of children with disabilitiy to health, education, work and employment, right to drive, right to communication, right to communal life, right to participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure/sport and a dedicated Office for Disability Affairs to address their complaints.
Director of Centre for Citizens with Disability, CCD, David O Anyaele, during a press conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the law, lamented that there is weak implementation of the law as people living with disability are not benefiting maximally from its provisions.
According to him, the majority of persons with disability that were engaged in focus group discussion and interview stated that access to services and programmes of the state and private organisations are still limited.
Findings, he added, also showed that access to health care services, in particular, free medical treatment as provided by Lagos Special People’s law have not been implemented by the Ministry of Health.
“So, persons with disability who go to a hospital be it primary health care centre or secondary and tertiary are being compelled to pay for health services,” he alleged.
Anyaele disclosed that a weeklong event slated by CCD to mark the anniversary seeks to review the journey so far in the implementation of the law, create awareness on its provisions among state and non-institutions in Lagos State as well as to set agenda for improved living conditions for persons with disability in Lagos State.
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