Centre demands access to transport facilities for PWDs

The Disability Rights Advocacy Centre (DRAC), in collaboration with Ford Foundation, has called on relevant stakeholders in the transport sector to build synergy aimed at implementing access to transportation facilities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria.

Speaking Tuesday in Abuja during stakeholders’ meeting on access to transportation for PWDs, the Executive Director of DRAC, Irene Patrick Ogbogu, said the meeting was necessary to engage stakeholders, in order to brainstorm on heartfelt recommendations on most critical challenges affecting PWDs, “while they move from one place to another to carry out their legitimate daily tasks; with a view to implement them”.

While expressing appreciation to the federal government for assenting to the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2019 and the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ogbogu said more efforts need to put in place by all stakeholders to promote, sensitise and implement the acts,” in order to alleviate bad experiences PWDs face in the transport sector.

“For a very long time, there have been incidences of discrimination in the transport sector against persons with disabilities and they have been experiencing different types of challenges in land, air and rail transport. Most of the buildings in public places are not planned for persons with disabilities to access. We know that accessing these transport facilities is a fundamental right for them, so government should review policies and upgrade transport facilities to enable persons with disabilities to have access,” she said.

Similarly, while reacting to the predicament faced by PWDs in accessing transport facilities, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr James Lalu, said the Commission will work closely with DRAC and other stakeholders to implement the pressing needs of PWDs.

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