Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
LASG earmarks N500m disability fund, creates special office to enhance inclusion
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Lagos State Government has earmarked a sum of N500m as Disability fund in the 2021 budget of the state.
The Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also approved the creation of the Office of Senior Special Assistant on People with Disability (PWD) Affairs, saying it would be the link between his administration and people living with disabilities.
This was after representatives of each cluster of PWDs in Lagos State on Wednesday, during an interactive session with the Governor and his wife, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, made known the various challenges limiting their members to cope with day-to-day activities, top among which are employment and inclusive education.
An Assistant Director of Programmes at the Lagos State-owned Traffic Radio, Victor Oteri, who represented cluster of visually impaired persons, called for an increment in the employment ratio dedicated to PWDs in public and corporate organisations in the state.
Israel Akiode, who represented dwarf cluster and also represented the PWDs in Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made a case for an appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on PWDs, which would serve as a link between the clusters and the governor.
The Chairman of Association for the Blind, Mr. Babatunde Mohammed clamored for inclusive education to stop segregation.
Olajumoke Otitoloju of Iyaniwura Foundation for Children Living with Disabilities called for government intervention at centres for children with intellectual disabilities. This, she said, would help detect the disabilities early in children.
She also drew attention to the dearth of of teachers and caregivers for children living with mental disabilities.
The governor gave approval for some of the demands of the PWDs and promised to implement others in the course of time.
He said the demands came at a good time when the state government was about to access the N500m Disability Fund appropriated in the 2021 budget passed on Monday by the House of Assembly.
