Yemisi Izuora
A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD, has brought to the fore some challenges faced by persons with disabilities, PWDs, in their attempt to gain access to public offices.
The survey was conducted to determine the level of compliance by government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, in line with the policy on rehabilitation of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with other citizens.
David Anyaele, executive director of the Centre, who gave details of the outcome of the survey, disclosed that 95 percent of public infrastructures in the country are not accessible to PWDs.
Anyaele said, the recent survey which covered six states, Benue, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Lagos, and Rivers as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT showed that most of the MDAs survey had no policy instruments in place to guide service provision to PWDs.
According to the report, Majority of public buildings and offices in the country lack basic infrastructural facilities like elevators, ramps, and maps among others that provide access to all PWDs. Thus, the line MDAs established to increase access of PWDs to services, in the real sense, actually deny PWDs access to these services in Nigeria.
The survey also showed that majority of Nigerians harbour negative cultural prejudices against PWDs, treating them with condescension, based on misunderstanding and uninformed assumptions.
Anyaele, further noted that PWDs have serious challenges seeking justice through the Police as an Institution. He said that Police posts surveyed do not have ramps for people using wheel chairs and that there are no instructions in braille and officer are not trained in sign language.
“The study further shows that PWDs often experience discriminatory attitude from the Police. The general perception that Police officers and men are corrupt and are not trustworthy also stand as a major hindrance to access justice by PWDs.