Lagos Speaker Faults Discrimination against Disabled

ABUJA - The Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly Rt Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has appealed to people living in Lagos to stop any act of discrimination against the disabled persons.


He made the submission during a public hearing on a bill for a law to eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities, equalize their opportunities and establishment of the office for disabilities affairs.


He said disability must not make a citizen less privileged than others. Hon. Ikuforiji assured stakeholders that their contributions would form bedrock of the bill. He lamented that the society does not cater for the disabled people.


Also speaking, the Chairman House Committee On Youths, Sports and Social Development - Hon Lawrence Ayeni, emphasised the Assembly’s determination to eliminate discrimination against the disabled persons.


Hon. Ayeni said the bill when signed into law would give backing to the Lagos State’s stride to achieve a magacity status, saying that the bill would eliminate all barriers against social development and justice to the citizens without bias.


He said the bill is timely as it guarantees the rights and privilege of physically challenged in Lagos State.


Presenting the bill, the Deputy Majority Leader Hon. Dr. Ajibayo Adeyeye, said any person in contravention of the provision is liable to a minimum of N50, 000 damages to the affected person with disability or six months imprisonment or both.


If it is a corporate body, a fine of N250, 000 payable to the affected disabled person. Dr. Adeyeye added that part 11of the bill stated; “A person with disability shall have the right and necessary facilities to enter the physical environment and building of a public place on an equal basis with others”. The bill also stated that a private house owner shall allow a person with disability lawful occupation as a tenant. On right to drive, a person with disability shall have right to drive any vehicle provided his ability is not proved to reasonably impede his ability to drive.

http://nigerianobservernews.com/17022009/news/national/news7.html

hopefully this will help separate the real disabled from the fake ones.

I heard of a beggar outside lagos, long ago, who had multiple wives and landed property.

Begging: A thriving business enterprise in Lagos

Despite the sledgehammer being wielded by the Lagos State government on those constituting nuisance on the streets of Lagos, thus hampering the state's efforts in becoming a mega city by 2015, the act of begging still reigns.

It is not uncommon to see very charming foreign young boys and girls begging for alms. They are mainly Niger Republic nationals whose parents lurk in the dark to await returns from their wards whose trade is to hold the people by the tail of their clothing begging for alms.

As they prayerfully run after people on the street, nothing is left to chance, as they speak any language in which they are good. They often sing along and pray God to bless the person in anticipation of what they will get.  Occasionally, it is observed that these infants are not acting on their own, as their parents prettily sit in a corner watching and waiting for them to bring returns. At intervals, they run to meet the parents and hand over what they have realised and be on the move again with such zest that leaves them with no choice but to see what they are doing as a way of life.

Beyond the facade of what the meaning of life of these less privileged ones seems to be in the present time, which largely hinges on the need to eke out some living by begging, the long-term problem is obvious. As these infants live their daily life in the midst of hoodlums and other social miscreants, they are unarguably imbibing the street culture on daily basis and in no time, they graduate into violent urchins who out of the circumstance they have found themselves become easy recruits into armed robbery gangs.

However, sometime in 2008, Lagos State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, had said: "We as a government cannot fold our alms and allow this pathetic situation to continue. This is a stern warning from the state government that those who are perpetrating this illicit trade should desist from the ignoble act or face the full wrath of the law. It is important to state that the Criminal Code Law Cap 32, Section 249 b and Section 250 subsections 2 and 3, Laws of Lagos State, which prohibit begging or gathering of alms or encouraging any child or children to do so, are still in force and offenders risk jail terms ranging from one to 12 months."  Also, in spite of the zero tolerance declaration of the government, the city still thrives as the headquarters of begging in Nigeria because the trade has not abated, but the beggars are taking their trade to areas, which are termed interior parts of the state. The demolition that occurred in Oshodi displaced quite a number of beggars, but unfortunately many of them made their way back to Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda, Agege and Ikotun, among other areas.


Investigations revealed that many don't ply the trade of begging with kid gloves. There are people who take to streets neatly dressed and to Lagosians, they are 'corporate beggars'. There is a man always at different bus stops in Lagos. He should be in his late thirties always dressed in suit. He speaks very fluent English and his line of begging is, 'I am a graduate and I have been invited for a job interview by a multinational company but I don't have transport fare to get me to the venue of the interview, can you help me?'


An accountant, Jare Oladimeji, said "Living in Lagos without a job is terrible, so people are using their survival instincts to get along. Lagosians are compassionate; when they hear such stories they tend to help, but many of such stories are lies but only a way to eke a living because of the general hardship in town." Though, the government had earlier appealed to relations of beggars or destitute to warn their wards and family members to desist from the act of begging and also to reduce the activities of beggars drastically, a bill is also being proposed to be sent to the House of Assembly for a law to prevent giving of alms to beggars on the streets. Speaking on the action against begging, a lawyer, Durosinmi Omoyele, said giving alms is obeying God because he has requested of the haves to share with the haves not. However, she cautioned that "we live in a world where witchcraft and diabolical beliefs hold sway because there have been stories of so many strange things happening to those who have shown mercy by giving alms. Even as I support giving alms and helping the poor, one must be cautious".


Moreover, Bola Tinubu's administration in Lagos State during its eight-year rule had occasions to rehabilitate the adult beggars to save them from the dehumanising life of begging, but most of them flagrantly defied the arrangement put in place for them.


A resident said, "The activities of beggars are quite unfortunate. It is an illicit act to beg for alms and it must be discouraged by all means. Many that have modernised the act should be arrested. It is only an indolent that would leave his house every morning well dressed only to hit the streets asking people to augment his transport fare to a far destination. It is very absurd."


The Fashola-led administration should put more measures in place to prohibit the act because it now looks like a trade, profession or means of employment and it is worrisome that people move out of their various houses in the morning, telling their neighbours they are heading for work only to travel miles away from their homes, change into rags and start soliciting for alms.


There was time a woman was identified on Onipanu Bridge by a passerby who said the woman came to Lagos all the way from Ibadan to beg for alms. She pretends to be blind just to get money from ever compassionate Lagosians. The woman enjoys begging than taking up a job that she can eke a living from.  Yet another resident said, "Lagos residents are easily moved, that is, they are easily convinced to give to the less privileged. Begging for alms is as old as creation itself. The act of begging has come to stay because the poor must remain on earth. The increase in the number of beggars in Lagos can also be attributed to various religious beliefs."


Moreover, Islam encourages its devotees to always give alms to the poor in form of Zakat and the Christian doctrine throws its weight behind the act of showing mercy to the helpless. However, may be by the nature of Lagos State as a former federal capital and the economic heart of the nation, as a result it continues to attract visitors of every shade and intent. Perhaps this is why beggars see Lagos as a place where it is easier to operate. Though, the state government seems to be leaving nothing to chance as various ways of reducing or totally curbing the activities of beggars and the homeless are being put in place, but it should do more than pay lip service to its policy.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/17/707.html#

tpia:

I heard of a beggar outside lagos, long ago, who had multiple wives and landed property.

Really?

On the real though, I hope our legislators enact laws protecting disabled people as well else we still have a long way to go.

• Are these laws going to be implemented? – We already have thousands like these that to date have never been implemented. Worse, the average Nigerian still has no clue that he has a right to this or that.
• Is the bill going to provide resources enough to help people who have cases to file, actually fight or is this going to end on paper? I mean hope this will not stop at building ramps and what nots.

Kobojunkie:

• Worse, the average Nigerian still has no clue that he has a right to this or that.

the same Nigerians who are always yelling on Nairaland?

Kobojunkie:

• Are these laws going to be implemented? – We already have thousands like these that to date have never been implemented. Worse, the average Nigerian still has no clue that he has a right to this or that.
• Is the bill going to provide resources enough to help people who have cases to file, actually fight or is this going to end on paper? I mean hope this will not stop at building ramps and what nots.

kobojunkie,

Why not give the legislators some credit; they are heading in the right direction with the law aren't they ? At least
there is more public awareness of the plight of disabled people

maxell:

kobojunkie,

Why not give the legislators some credit; they are heading in the right direction with the law aren't they ? At least
there is more public awareness of the plight of disabled people

Why do you feel my QUESTIONS threaten your legislators? How is there more public awareness of the plight of disabled people, by the way?

how do we identify a deaf person from someone who is faking it?
what would the law define as a blind person?
would signs be require in brail as well?

If it is a corporate body, a fine of N250, 000 payable to the affected disabled person. Dr. Adeyeye added that part 11of the bill stated; “A person with disability shall have the right and necessary facilities to enter the physical environment and building of a public place on an equal basis with others”. The bill also stated that a private house owner shall allow a person with disability lawful occupation as a tenant. On right to drive, a person with disability shall have right to drive any vehicle provided his ability is not proved to reasonably impede his ability to drive.

i guess they never had such rules before now cos non of the buildings in the lagos state government secretariat is compliant if there was one before now.

would building requirements be changed as well so as to provide wider doors for wheelchair accessibility?

as regards driving, i'm all for it, does the bill include parking priviledges?

_{make i go find hardcopy of this bill and read up, i need more information than presented here}