Fashola Inaugurates disability governing board
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Sun News Publishing
Date:
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 23:59 Disturbed by the problems confronting the physically-challenged members of the society, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola yesterday inaugurated the Disability Governing Board, charging the members to enhance the welfare of the disabled.
The governor who spoke at the brief inauguration ceremony held at the Ikeja Lagos House, Fashola said the development was to strengthen the full implementation of the Special People’s Law on
recently enacted in the state.
Fashola explained that the establishment of the board was to provide equal opportunities and impact on the lives of people with disabilities, saying the constitution prohibited all forms of discriminations against people with disabilities.
He pointed out that, it was in a bid to correct this imbalance and fully accommodate people with special needs as part of the society that the state government in 2011, enacted the People with Disabilities law.
According to him, “Yes it is true that our constitution makes provision that prohibits discriminations against people with special needs, but that is as far as it goes. `It does not state in a way that our Special People Law has provided on what the government should do to give equal opportunities for people who are willing, if given the opportunities, but are physically challenged.
And we all know how the society has responded to the physically challenged “The society has always thought it is enough to give them alms and money. But knowledge has shown what they need is a level-playing ground, level enough to give them the opportunities to be able to carry on with their lives.
“What the government tries to achieve with the Disability office and the board is to fully accommodate people with special needs and to ensure that their interests are well protected.”
He said the government deliberately put more people with special needs in the board, because “they know where the shoe pinches” and should be able to carry out the assignment better. Fashola revealed said the government had ensured that roads and public places built in the past few years had facilities, such as walkways and ramps, for easy use of people with disabilities ,urging the board to carry out their assignment diligently and in way that it would have great impacts on the lives of people with special needs.
“Today we have taking a big step to inaugurate the board to be our think tank that will show the direction through which we can address the challenges of the Physically challenge. I believe that if we continue with the way we have started, others will follow in a robust way to pay attention to physically challenge.”
The chairman Mrs. Tolulope Animashaun who responded on behalf of the members, thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve in the special office, assuring that they would live above board in the discharge of their duties.
She said the state being the first to pass such law further reinvigorates its commitment to champion the need of special people. The newly inaugurated Board has Mrs. Tolulope Animashaun who serves as Chairman , Mr. Babatunde Awelenge General Manager office and Mr. Olabode Ajao of the state Ministry of Youth and Sport.
Other members are Mr. Victor Otereh, Olugbenga Kuye, Olabode Ajao, Toyin Olayinka,Oladikpukpo Bada all physically challenged persons who are professionals in various fields.
