The Founder of Ojay Ajaifa Foundation for Children with Disabilities, Ojay Ajaifa, has urged the federal government to enforce existing disability policies to guarantee access to schools, hospitals and public buildings.
Ajaifa stated this during the launch of the foundation over the weekend in Abuja, lamenting that policies for persons with disabilities remained largely ignored.
She said, “People build houses without access. Even my office is not accessible because it is on the first floor. If I need to meet someone with a disability, I have to go to them.”
She called on the government to raise awareness and ensure compliance, especially in future housing projects.
Also speaking, the gounder of Cedar Seed Foundation and President of the Network of Women with Disabilities, Lois Auta, stressed the need for a budget line for children with disabilities under the Federal Ministry of Education.
She said inclusive facilities would ensure that children with disabilities are not left out of education from planning to implementation.
Auta described the foundation’s launch as timely, saying it would highlight the rights of children with disabilities, including access to education and freedom of association.
The Chairman of the National Population Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, represented by Deputy Director of Data Registration, Yusuf Saka, said data mapping would help identify barriers faced by children with disabilities and guide effective solutions.
He said accurate data would help design targeted interventions in education, healthcare, and social inclusion.
