The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Dr James Lalu, has disclosed that the Federal Government plans to shut down public buildings that fails comply with the minimum standards of accessibility for Persons with Disabilities from January 17.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Lalu made this known on Thursday while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
It was learnt that the news conference was organised as part of the sixteenth day’s activism to commemorate the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Lalu explained that the commission would swing into action immediately after the expiration of the five-year ultimatum given to organizations by the Federal Government, which is expected to elapse on January 16, 2024.
”This commission was established with full responsibility for the enforcement of its laws, and it has been stated in the commission’s establishment laws.
”Five years was given to organisations to comply with accessibility laws and now the five years will expire in January 16 next year, we are now transiting from the era of advocacy to enforcement.
“By January, we would go out in full force to make sure that the provisions of the law are properly enforced,” he said.
Lalu stressed that the commission would engage all relevant stakeholders to constitute a special task force to ensure the implementation of the accessibility law.
“We would start meeting with our own partners to constitute a task force immediately before this Christmas, everything will be on the ground before the end of this year.
”So that as we come in early next year, the task force will swung into action immediately by January 17 at 12 am, the enforcement of accessibility laws will take effect.
”The commission’s task force will move out in full force and will start visiting key offices for physical assessment of facilities in the key offices,” he said.
The NCPWD Boss equally pointed out that the commission would ensure that organisations not only adhere to their accessibility requirements but the five percent employment opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
”Our assessment may not only end on the physical facilities but the composition of the staff in these institutions.
”We want to know how many they have as persons with disabilities, the total number of staffing decisions, and then the maintenance of the five people in these institutions.
”So we have to find out all of these, so they will come to know whether they comply with the provisions of the law,” he said.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, also stated that the commission received President Bola Tinubu’s Administration’s full support in implementing their accessibility laws.
Edu gave the assurance that the Executive Secretary will support the enforcement of accessibility laws.
She noted that the effective implementation and enforcement of the relevant Disability laws is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
She then promised all stakeholders that they were committed to supporting the commission in its quest to protect the rights and privileges of its members.
