DISABILITY GROUPS SLAM LAGOS GOVT OVER POOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITIES

Disability rights organisations have accused the Lagos State Government and owners of public facilities of failing to enforce accessibility laws.

The groups also said that thousands of persons with disabilities remain shut out of essential services despite legal provisions guaranteeing equal access.

The groups, under the auspices of the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria and the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, raised concerns during a press conference held on Monday to mark the end of a statewide accessibility advocacy project implemented across the nine disability clusters of the Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities in Lagos State.

They warned that accessibility and disability inclusion would remain key issues in their engagement with political leaders as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace.

The organisations said findings from the advocacy project revealed widespread non-compliance with accessibility standards in public infrastructure, transportation systems and service delivery across the state.

Speaking at the event, the National President of the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, Mrs Rose Mordi, said the campaign aimed to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoyed rights already guaranteed under existing laws.

“Our advocacy is about ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy the rights already guaranteed under the law. Accessibility goes far beyond the construction of ramps. Every category of disability has unique accessibility requirements that must be considered if we are to build a truly inclusive society,” Mordi said.

She noted that many Nigerians were unaware of provisions contained in Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and the Lagos State Special People’s Law, which guarantee accessible public spaces and equal participation for persons with disabilities.

The Executive Director of the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, Mr Afolabi Fajemilo, called for stricter enforcement of accessibility standards, saying accessibility should be incorporated into every public project from the planning stage.

“Accessibility should be integrated from the planning and design stage of every public facility. When accessibility is ignored at the beginning, it creates barriers that exclude millions of Nigerians from education, healthcare, transportation, employment and other essential services,” he said.

Also speaking, the project’s Technical Consultant, Mrs Modinat Tijani, said accessibility extended beyond wheelchair ramps to include facilities such as tactile paving for the visually impaired, accessible toilets, audio announcement systems, lowered service counters and appropriate signage.

“Accessibility is comprehensive. It includes tactile floor paving for persons with visual impairment, audio announcement systems, accessible toilets, lowered service counters, appropriate signage and other features that allow everyone to use facilities safely and independently. Inclusive planning requires consulting organisations of persons with disabilities from the earliest stages of project development,” Tijani said.

Representatives of the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Nigeria, National Association of the Blind, Spinal Cord Injuries Association and the Albinism Association of Nigeria recounted the difficulties their members face in accessing public buildings, transportation and other services across Lagos.

The groups called for stricter enforcement of disability laws, increased public awareness and the involvement of organisations of persons with disabilities in the planning and implementation of public projects.