2015: Physically challenged persons call for elective positions in govt.

From Akilani Abdullah, Lagos

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, physically challenged persons have called for elective posts in government, ministries and parastatals in the country.

A visually impaired journalist with the Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Biodun Elugbaju has urged the government that the people with disabilities must also be included in the affairs of running the nation.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos at the International Press Centre (IPC), at the media tweet-a-thon with the theme: “2015: Media role in promoting the participation of physically challenged people in elections.” He noted that the affairs of the people living with disabilities should be handled by disabled people.

Elugbaju said: “It is worrisome that despite the population of people living with disabilities in the country, they are always cut off from elections. We need voices for the physically challenged people; we need them at elective government post and ministerial appointments.

“When you use someone without disability to head offices or ministries dealing with disabilities, someone who does not know the plight of the disable people, how do you expect that to work? We need people with disability in the helms of affairs of disabled people” he noted.

He added that media houses should include disability desk among the varieties of desk available in the newsroom so as for the media organization to foster the disability issue.

He said: “People with disabilities are treated as second class citizens. The media has a lot to do; the press is in the best position to make our voice heard. Every media house should have a desk devoted to foster disabilities, if that is done, people would be aware and many would be informed.”