Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, have demanded the provision of accessible facilities in airports across the country, as part of efforts to ameliorate the challenges that PWDs face in airports.
While delivering a presentation at a training on Airport Access for PWDs, Mr. David Anyaele, the Executive Director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD, stressed that the Federal Government should facilitate the training of airport workers on how to interact with PWDs.
Noting that PWDs encounter numerous challenges and discrimination in airports across the country, Mr. Anyaele explained that “People with Disabilities experience a lot of hardship in the country and the difficulty in traveling through the airport isn’t easy at all because there are no basic amenities for us there.
“We are treated harshly by airport staff because of our disabilities, so special training should be organized for airport and airline personnel on the needs of PWDs and how best to meet them.
“The government needs to address this urgently because there are so many difficulties we experience in the airport and it shouldn’t be so,” he said.
Anyaele also noted that travel information at airports should be made available in accessible formats for various clusters of PWDs.
In his remarks, Mr. Rabiu Yadudu, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who was represented by Mr. Ayinla Gbolahan, stated that training is being out in place to ensure that employees are better positioned to assist PWDs.
“We are committed to ensuring that we provide the relevant services to make the airport comfortable for PWDs,” he said.
Mr. Abdulwahab Matepo, of the Spinal Cord Injured Association of Nigeria, stressed that discrimination was a major problem for people with disabilities.
“Discrimination against PWDs is a major problem in this country and this issue can be addressed by enlightening the public,” he added.