Group accuses Buhari of excluding people with disabilities in COVID-19 address

A non-governmental organisation, Disability Law Advocacy Project (DLAP), has faulted the presidency for excluding and depriving persons with disabilities of critical information about the pandemic infection, Covid-19.

Joshua Olatoke, a senior lawyer and chairman of said in a statement issued on Monday in llorin.

The group accused President Muhammadu Buhari of neglecting the people with disabilities as there was no sign language interpreter when he addressed the country on coronavirus on Sunday night.

“There was no sign language interpreter to relay the message of the president to the Hard of Hearing Persons,” Mr Olatoke said.

“The same, therefore, translates also to the exclusion of other persons living with disabilities.

“Indeed, all the measures taken so far appear to be oblivious of the people with disabilities as no mention was made of them and no form of arrangements of palliatives made to support them at this critical moment.”

The lawyer made a call to the government at all level to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left out in their economic relief scheme.

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“DLAP calls on the Federal and the State governments to ensure that PWD are not left behind in the fights against this common enemy of mankind.

“The several economic stimulus plans rolled out by the government should not be devoid of the plights of PWD. Lagos State government plans a distribution of food materials to close to 200 families, the question is to what extent PWD are covered in this scheme?

“Specific packages should be made for PWD so that their disability does not become a disadvantage at this period.”

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