By Abiodun Abegunde
Stakeholders of persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs), have called on the Lagos State Government to endorse and implement the drafted validated policy for the welfare and rights of IDDs persons.
They made the call at the end of a 3-day workshop in Lagos, on the validation of draft Lagos State policy on IDD.
The stakeholders were of the view that if endorsed and implemented, it would bring great relief to parents and their children with IDDs.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the sideline of the workshop, Mrs Jokotola Omotola, National President, Association of persons with IDDs, and Coordinator of the workshop, said that the policy document would improve the lives of persons with IDDs.
According to her, the policy document will guide the government and the public on how to relate, take care, include and give access to IDDs.
“Several credible evidence indicate that persons with IDDs are among the most marginalised and excluded within the broad population of persons with disabilities (PWDs), especially in less developed countries like Nigeria.
“This association is an advocacy group for parents, IDDs, professionals, NGOs and individuals with passion for IDDs.
“We came together to form the association to raise a voice for IDDs. The event is also a form of awareness. We are inviting parents with IDDs at home to join the group.
“They should stop hiding their children with IDDs. The document will be presented to the Lagos State Government and the State House of Assembly for endorsement and implementation.
“Once the policy is approved in Lagos State, we then move for the domestication of the policy in other States.”
In the same vein, Dr Adeleke Phillip, a special Education Teacher at the University of Calabar, said that the event was to invalidate the policy that would enhance the quality of life of people with IDDs and their caregivers.
According to him, IDDs is a category of disability, which does not affect the person that has it alone but the entire family. There are some families with more than one IDDs members.
“The policy is to provide all the necessary assistance to IDDs like is obtainable in developed world, where people with disabilities are taken care of by the government, including their caregivers.
“We want a situation where the parents of IDDs will have relief.”
Mr Abolerin Salami, Chairman, Joint National Association of persons with disabilities, Lagos State Chapter, said that the programme was very important to the IDDs and others.
“This will be the first Policy that will touch directly on persons with IDDs. We have lots of policies with disability inclusion but we don’t have cluster based policy that tries to include each of the clusters in the society.
“In the disability community, our needs are different, even at IDDs cluster, we have different categories and needs.
“This policy will try to speak to the needs of each person in the cluster. It is a welcome development.
Similarly, Mr Babatunde Safiu, Head Legal Services, Lagos State Disability Affairs, who representing the General Manager of the agency, said that the association had embarked on an important policy never had before.
According to him, amongst all the 10 clusters of disabilities in the state, the association will be the first to produce such a policy.
The state NSCDC Commandant, Mr Keshiro, in his remarks, said that the policy was a welcome development.
Keshiro represented by the Spokesperson of the command, Mr Seun Abolerin, said that the corps was concerned about the plights of the IDDs, stressing that the Commdant-General, Dr Audi has charged all commands and zones to ensure they protect the rights of people with IDDs.
More than 30 participants, drawn from ministries departments, NGOs among others participated in the workshop.
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