Group urges compliance with special people’s law

The Executive Director, Centre for Citizen with Disabilities (CCD), Mr. David Anyaele, has stated that there is still much to be done on the part of the public to ensure compliance with the Lagos State Special People’s Law, which came into effect in 2011.

Speaking at a forum organized to evaluate the impact of CCD’s implemented programme on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in Lagos, Anyaele noted that even as the five years period of moratorium has lapsed in June, there are still some public institutions that are yet to comply with the law.

The group also stated that in its efforts to evaluate the impact it has created in the administration of justice to People with Disabilities (PWD), which was carried out in three Local Council Development Areas in the state, it found out that there is growing awareness by most court officials of the plights of PWDs.

According to the outcome of the survey, unlike what use to be obtained in the past, PWDs are now being treated with respect and there is no more discrimination against them. The group added that there are still much to be done in making some of the courts accessible to PWDs.

“About 0.01% of PWDs come to courts. The reasons are traceable to previous perceptions of PWDs in accessing justice. PWDs hardly come to court because 90% of courts in the state are not accessible,” the group said.They, however, noted that there are improvements in Police Stations, like text messages enabled help lines, which has helped PWDs in accessing justice.Present at the event is Honourable Ajibayo Adeyeye, who called for proper sensitization of the public about the law and need to comply with it.