By ADELEKE ADESANYA
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Movement for Disabled Rights, has called on the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to investigate the activities of some civil servants who have allegedly formed the habit of frustrating efforts by the government to ameliorate the conditions of the less-privileged people living with disability.
The MDR also demanded the “restructuring” of the executive officers of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs.
The group, which lamented that many government interventions aimed at assisting the less privileged and persons with disability had been hindered by some civil servants, therefore, called for sanctions against any individual found culpable.
Speaking at a lecture organised by the group in the Ebutte Meta area of Lagos, the Convener, Mr. Adesina Taiwo, bemoaned the uncaring attitude of those in positions of authority and expected to facilitate government efforts targeted at the physically challenged.
He accused such government officials of frustrating the rightful beneficiaries while diverting resources for their own individual selfish interests.
Taiwo specifically alleged that many of the civil servants expected to extend government provisions such as funds and other gestures to the physically challenged and less privileged were diverting the resources into private pockets.
The MDR convener particularly fingered an official heading the Agriculture Unit of the Lagos Mainland Local Government Council for allegedly diverting funds approved by the state government for people living with disability in the
area.
Taiwo said, “Many of the civil servants, who are responsible for carrying out government plans for people living with disability, are frustrating the efforts.
“The HOD of Agric Department of Lagos Mainland Local Government is one of those civil servants who have been hindering government efforts to us in this area. On several occasions we have heard of funds for support being allocated to us as people living with disability, but these monies don’t get to us.
“There is a case of one million naira support fund given through Yaba LCDA in 2018 for Persons Living with Disability as a group; till now that money has still not been given to us.”
Taiwo further urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to investigate the matter, adding that LASODA should be restructured.
In his words, while speaking on the theme of the lecture, “Importance of Zakat and Jakah: Sharing to the Less Privileged in Islam”, the guest speaker, Chief Imam, Ojikutu Central Mosque, Fadilat Sheikh Hassan Olowo, urged people capable of assisting to help the less privileged and physically challenged without subjecting them to any form of disdain.
