The Emir of Persons with Disabilities Colony in Abuja, Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Katsina has condemned the inhuman and degrading manner of treatment meted on them by some members of the public especially officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).
The Emir who lamented the indecent treatment they suffered said, contrary to what they term them to be, a lot of them on wheelchairs are not beggars as misconstrued by the public.
The Emir made this disclosure in his palace while receiving a team of National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) Staff led by the Director Vulnerable Group Department, Dahiru Bobbo, who were on advocacy visit to the Colony at Karmajiji.
The Emir however expressed appreciation at the visit which he described as an indication that their demands for inclusiveness and better recognition with dignity has reached the appropriate quarters.
He pledged the commitment of his emirate to work with the Commission to address the issues affecting violations of their rights.
Earlier in his remark, Mr Bobbo who represented the Executive Secretary of the Commission at the outreach reiterated the Commissions resolve to promote, protect and enforce the rights of PWD insisting on their inclusion in all spheres of life.
He said all dehumanising treatments which culminate to the exclusion of this group of people must be discouraged and stopped.
He said “in order to pay more attention and focus on the plights of PWD, the Commission recently created a department called Vulnerable Group Department, charged with the responsibility of ensuring that there is an enabling environment for the enjoyment of human rights of PWD”
The Director then called on relevant organisations to join hands with the Commission to ensure equal opportunities for PWD.
The Secretary of the Emirate Mohammed Dantani said the Commission’s visit has created an opportunity for them to air their concerns believing that they will be adequately addressed. He expressed disappointment in the newly created Nigerian Disability Commission saying “our issues are far from over, even with the creation of the Disabilities Commission”.
Mallam Dantani further appealed to relevant authorities in the hospitals to mainstream human rights in their operations as PWD suffer untold hardships in accessing healthcare services even within the hospital environments.
Similarly, he lamented the high cost of education for their children as their parents are not able to afford the adequate facilities/ school fees as a result of their disabilities which forced most of them to remain in one place. He therefore, solicited for free education for the children of the PWD to enable them benefit from the enjoyment of the rights to education.
Members of the colony also appealed to the FCT Minister to redeem his promise by duly compensating them for their market that was demolished in Zone 3 as well as allocate a permanent residential area for them in Gwagwalada.
