Visually Impaired Nigerians Decry Lack Of Policy On Their Wellbeing

Folake Sokoya

The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB) has called on government for policies and laws that will enforce the use of white cane by visually impaired citizens in the society.

NAB said it is important for policy makers to provide protection for persons using the cane on the streets as it shows “respect for the cane and the cane users.”

The Lagos State chapter of NAB stated this while marking the International White Cane and Safety Day in the Ikorodu area of the state.

The theme of this year’s event is, The White Cane, A Key To My Productive Life.

Chairman, Nigeria Association for the Blind, Lagos chapter, Babatunde Mohammed, providing the background to the even, said the white cane day celebration started in Nigeria about 10 years ago.

“It is not only serving as a guide for the visually impaired but to also create awareness for the Nigerians to respect the cane and the cane users,” he said.

Explaining further,he said: “We also want to provide first-hand information to policy makers and general public on the significance of white cane which is celebrated every October 15.

“Our basic appeal to policy makers at the federal level is that we need policies and laws that will enforce the use of white cane by visually impaired citizens in our society and to provide protection for persons using the cane on the streets just like the Lagos state government has done.”

Mohammed lamented the fact that in Nigeria, there is yet to be law protecting the right of people with disabilities despite the fact that the country has signed the United Nation’s Right of Convention for Human Right.

“Most of the time, we live on people’s sympathy which shouldn’t be, especially when we are called the giant of Africa and all other African countries have laws protecting people with disabilities except Nigeria,” he said.

The NAB Chairman regretted that getting sponsors for the body’s programs is always tough difficult,saying this may be because the public feels it has nothing to gain from the gesture.

He thanked Access Bank, First Bank and John holt, three of the sponsors this year.

“When it comes to seeking for support from the government, it is a process. We were asked by the state government to present our request through the Lagos state office of the disabilities, and when we got there, they said we should wait for our subvention but till now, the subvention is yet to be ready.

“That is why we seek support from companies and individuals for all our programs for the year but as I have noted earlier, part of the canes given to us last year by LASUDA with the ones we got from Ikorodu Lions club is what we distributed,” he stated further.