The National Association of Persons With Disabilities has made seven-point demands to the government, during the commemoration of 2024 International Wheelchair Day in Bayelsa.
This year’s theme is ‘Mobility, Access, Inclusion: Empowering Lives Globally’.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the day was founded in 2008 by the United Nations in recognition of Persons With physical Disabilities (on Wheelchairs) as mobility aides.
Our correspondent gathered that the NAPWPD also commemorated the day with road walk, and photo shoot.
Making the demands in a press statement signed by Iniruo Ada-Tari,
South-South Zonal Coordinator of
NAPWPD, urged Governor Douye Diri, to urgently bring succour to members by attending to their requests.
The association urged the governor to domesticate disability laws to safeguard the rights of members, urging for respect of building codes to be PWDs compliant.
Ada-Tari, called for provision of mobility aids such as wheelchairs for users every year, canvassing for budgetary provisions for carrying out necessary modifications and retrofitting of existing buildings.
The statement partly read, We are calling on Gov Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State to critically look into the demands of NAPWPD in the state.The demands are as follows:
“Provision of mobility aides such as, wheelchairs for users annually.
“The domestication of disability laws where non-existent to safeguard the rights of wheelchair users
“The modification and retrofitting of all public spaces and facilities to comply with the relevant accessibility standard code and universal design.
“That government ensures adherence to building code/minimum accessibility standard and that building control department of states do not approve new buildings that doesn’t comply with the standard.
“That government and indeed the society makes necessary adjustments of the environmental conditions to allow for inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the community.
“That government makes budgetary provisions for carrying out necessary modifications and retrofitting of existing buildings.
“The development of minimum accessibility standard code for the implementation of the law regarding access to the environment.”
