25th November, 2019
A Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Centre for Disability Issues has commended the initiatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria in its effort at creating a Ministry for the Physically Challenged.
The body said the move would no doubt help in the area of employment and as well create enabling environment for the physically challenged people, just as it appealed that the people should be included in the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS.
The Convener of the group, Comrade Kehinde Oshilaja, who made the pronouncements at a press briefing in Lagos at the weekend to commemorate the preparation of 2019 World Disability Day coming up on 2nd December, 2019, said physically challenged people are far from being catered for because of their circumstances, hence the need to call on Federal Government of Nigeria to include them in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
He maintained that the Centre for Disability Issues is a non-governmental organisation geared towards focusing mainly on welfare of the people living with disabilities.
“We at the Centre for Disability Issues are totally in support of the Federal Government’s plan to create Ministry for the Physically challenged people and we want to passionately appeal that FG should as a matter of urgency include our members to the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS.
“The reason being that physically challenged people are far from being catered for because of their circumstances and we want government to cater for any bill incurred by any physically challenged people so that they would be able to live longer than expected”, Oshilaja said.
The Convener also commended the Lagos State Government for deeming it fit to create a special agency, LASODA, saddled with the responsibility of catering for the people with disabilities, but at the same time appealed to Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to look inwards at restructuring the agency, so that the aim and vision of the office could be realised especially considering those in the helms of the affairs to those intended to serve
In his remark, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Remi Sofolahan, commended the group, especially their convener, Comrade Kehinde Oshilaja, who also is a blind person, for acting as mouth piece of all the people living with disabilities.