FG Threatens To Shut Down Public Buildings Over Noncompliance To Disability Access

Federal government has said that it has concluded plans to set up a task force that will shut down all public buildings found in breach of the Person’s with Disabilities, (PWDs), Act’s provision that all public buildings should provide accessibility to persons with disabilities.

President Bola Tinubu, stated this at the 2023 commemoration of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities, yesterday in Abuja.

Represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, the President tasked all state government’s to set up state owed disability commissions to cater for the needs of PWDs, ensure inclusivity and target grassroots communities.

“Plans have been concluded and a tax force will soon be in place to ensure that public buildings are People With Disabilities friendly. This is not a plea or a favour, it is enshrined in the constitution that such is their right.

“We will move from place to place and buildings will be shit down with the backing of Mr. President for non compliance. Therefore, all public buildings must create all accessibility mediums before we arrive,” he said.

He expressed dismay that budgetary allocation to the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities is too low and unacceptable urging considerations in that regard.

Highlighting the theme for this year’s celebration tagged “Renewing hope together for disability- inclusive societies”, the President points that going forward, the National Assembly must recognize the need to improve the Commission’s budgetary allocation.

Meanwhile, members of the legislature have called for the establishment of a disabilities trust fund at national and state levels insisting that disability laws that have been domiciled in states must be made operational.

In an opening speech at the event, Senator representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso pointed that if education, health and other sectors have trust funds, same can be applied in the case of PWDs.

He said the amendment of the Bill on PWDs had passed its second reading in the red chamber and part of issues to be reconsidered include the five percent employment opportunity which earlier captured only the public sector but will now include the private sector.

According to him, “If education and other sectors have trust fund, why can’t PWDs? We don’t need to rely on budgetary allocations if the trust fund is there.

“The amendment bill has passed the second reading and part of what we will be looking at is the five percent employment opportunity which is only in the public sector. Why not in the private sector too? They give PWDs certificates to distinguish them from others, this is discriminatory. There are other ways that PWDs can be recognized than through the issuance of certificates.”

House committee Chairman on Committee for PWDs, Dr. Bashir Daudu, said a lot will be heard about the amendment of the persons with disabilities bill in the year 2024.

He said a key challenge “is that people are still not aware of it despite that it took two decades for it to be signed in 2018 and became effective in 2019.”

Daudu adds that already, the narrative is been changed especially in rural settlement and a lot will be done in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs).