Kogiflame
Kogi State Community Advocacy Group of People With Disability, in collaboration with the Leprosy Mission in Nigeria, has sought partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), for publicity on the plight of the People With Disabilities in Kogi state.
The Chairman of the Group, Mr Ibrahim Daniel Arome The Advocacy Group paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kogi state Council, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh, at the NUJ press centre, Lokoja, appeal for publicity on the plight of the People With Disabilities in Kogi state.
Chairman of the group, who was accompanied by some members of his Executive and committee, lamented that the Nigerian system is very harsh and discriminatory to the people who are unfortunately disabled.
Arome said it is necessary to create awareness for the government and the entire people to accept that the people with various forms of disability are first and foremost human beings like the able bodied.
He stated that the disabled persons have equal rights to all aspects of life including life and working to live and own property without hindrances or discrimination.
He lamented that lack of accessibility to several places like schools, hospitals, markets, government and private offices, hotels and recreation centres have become worrisome to the persons with disabilities.
All access to structures of the various places of necessity are not favourable to them as only staircase and steps are provided to the disadvantage of the less privileged disabled persons.
He appealed to the Architects, Engineers, Surveyors and all building related professionals to always consider the provision of the racks for benefit of the persons with disabilities. ” All government and private establishments, corporate buildings, banks, hospitals, schools, hotels and recreation centres have no accessibility provisions, “Even the aged not only the persons with disabilities need accessibility to structures to enable them get meet and get their needs without much stress”.
The Kogi state NUJ Chairman, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh, while commending the group for the visit, promised that Journalists in the State are always prepared to render cooperation and assistance to persons with disabilities.
In his address, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kogi State Council, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh the delegation that the Kogi state NUJ will soon invite architect to amend and provide accessibility for persons with disabilities to the entrance of the Secretariat/Press Centre.