John Adoyi, PBA Journalism MenteeAs the world celebrates this year’s International White Cane day, the Lagos State Chapter of Nigeria Association of the Blind, (NAB) has decried the ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada in the state by the Government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking at a rally to mark the celebration in Lagos, the Chairman of NAB Lagos, Barr. Lukman Abolarinwa Salami, said movement of PWDs most especially the blind has become more difficult due to the ban on commercial motorcycles since they help Blind people get to those areas in the state that buses and tricycles can’t get to.
“Blind and visually impaired persons are suffering from the ban on commercial motorcycles on Lagos roads, and no one is talking about mitigating the effects,” Salami said.
Lamenting the biting effects of the ban, he said “this is even more important than ever before because blind person’s resident in the state now have to suffer more torments as they struggle to adjust to the new normal which is the restriction of commercial motorcycles on major roads.”
Celebrated on October 15 annually since 1964, the International White Cane day is set aside to celebrate the strength in the struggles of visually impaired persons. The date is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence – the white cane.
The theme for this year’s celebration in lagos state is “Equality, Participation and Justice.”
The Lagos State chapter of NAB is also using the opportunity to call on the state government to increase the active participation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in policy making for PWDs in the state.
According to Barr. Abolarinwa it is not all about making laws for PWDs and creating an office for PWDs in the state, more needs to be done in implementation and usage of the made laws and the different offices created for this purposes.
“While we acknowledge the importance of the Lagos State Special Peoples Law as capable of advancing the rights of PWDs in Lagos, it is also important to reiterate the fact that the law itself can’t guarantee equality and justice if the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) and other MDAs continue to work in silos and bereft of synergy as is currently the case,” he said.
Gbenga Ogundare, the Public Relations Officer of NAB, and association for the blind in Lagos also joined his voice in urging the government of the state to do more in reforming the office of disability in Lagos to carry out the duty it was created for.
The members of the association asked that the government put in place a board that is working.
According to Mr. Gbenga “this will remain impossible if LASODA is allowed to carry on without an efficient management board as is the case presently,” he said.
The association for the blind is also calling on the government ministry, departments and agencies in charge of transportation and traffic management to do more in making road as free as possible to allow for safe movement of PWDs in the state.
The association for the blind marked this year’s event with the distribution of white canes, branded T-shirts, a charity awareness walk from Agufure Motor Park by Abraham Adesanya bus stop, Aja to the Catholic Church of Transfiguration VGC.
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