Ministry reiterates commitment for disabilities inclusive airports commitment
By Diana Omueza
The Ministry of Aviation has reiterated its commitment to ensure disabilities friendly and inclusive airports across the country for the benefits of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Emmanuel Meribole said this on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ forum on enhancing access to airports for PWDs.
The forum was organsied by the Coalition of Disability Organisations (CODO) as efforts to advocate and ensure an inclusive society.
He said that the Ministry was willing to partner with relevant agencies to amend any identified gap to meet appropriate changing requirements to ensure accessible airports for PWDS.
Meribole, represented by Mr Herbert Ndumele, his Senior Administrative Officer, said that enhancing airports was an internationally recognised norm under Article 37 of the Chicago Convention signed in 1944 by ICAO member states including Nigeria.
“Contracting states should ensure that PWDs when travelling be provided with special assistance to ensure they receive services customarily available to the general public.
“That all elements of a journey, from beginning to end are made accessible and on the basis of the above-mentioned standards and recommended practices, contracting states, including Nigeria have taken necessary measures to make the system work.
“We can say our airlines have standardised to a great extent, including voluntary commitments, their procedures for acceptance and handling of disabled passengers,” he said.
He said that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) played an important role in standardisation and implementation of procedures to ensure rights and dignity of PWDs were fully taken into account in airport operations.
Meribole added that the Ministry had also demonstrated high commitment on standards and recommended practices through necessary institutional reforms and private sector partnerships aimed at building capacity, creating necessary infrastructure to ensure memorable travelling experience.
He reiterated that airports across the country were becoming increasingly accommodating toward passengers with disabilities with the help of technology.
“The lifting systems, wheelchair assistance or any other appropriate devices are made available in order to facilitate the movement of elderly and PWDs passengers between the aircraft, the terminals and the car parks on both arrival and departures.
“The government is focusing on human-capacity development and regular stakeholder engagements as a means of strengthening the Public-Private-Partnership machinery for effective service delivery,” he said.
Meribole commended the commitment of the coalition in creating an advocacy platform to champion the rights of PWDs especially as it concerned the Nigerian Aviation industry
The Convener of CODO, Mr David Anyaele commended the ministry for its commitment in ensuring accessible airports across the country for the benefits of not less than 35 million PWDs.
Anyaele said that enhancing airports was the surest indicator of an inclusive society which could not be overemphasised.
He said that there was a need for effective partnership of the ministry of aviation and other stakeholders in order to actualise the provisions of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act in the sector.
“The need for partnership cannot be overemphasised; it is the first step towards actualising any form of achievement as regards to enhancing airports and implementing other provisions of the law regarding the aviation industry.
“The national disability law which provides a five years transitory period for the remodification of structures would soon elapse with very little progress made in regards to accessible structures especially in our airports.
“Now we have approximately nine months to the end of the transitory period for the modification of structures.
“This is to enhance access for PWDs and the airports is a major structure that needs to be enhanced for the benefit of PWDs,” he said.
Anyaele said that when stakeholders partnered, execution and implementation of the law would be easier and more rapid.
He said that the disability coalition was not willing to explore the option of litigation to get its demands met based on the law and as such stakeholders must ensure to deliver on their mandates.
“That is why we’re engaging relevant stakeholders in the industry to build their capacity on the national disability law, the contents, PWDs and their plights and other international standard of an inclusive society,” he said.
Anyaele, however, said that it was sad that stakeholders had no interest in the concerns of PWDs as they often disregarded invitations to PWDs experience sharing and gathering forums.
“We noticed that whenever invitations are sent to the heads of departments in the aviation sector to participate in forums like this, representatives with little or no knowledge about the disability law are sent.
“These representative cannot make vital contributions, they cannot contribute meaningfully and most times they have no right to make commitments.
“But we won’t relent in training and retraining and today we are leading this efficient conversation that will aid the industry to construct assets that are accessible for PWDs, for pregnant woman, the elderly and all other users,” he said.
He urged airline operators and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to ensure elimination of the negative historical background that promoted exclusion, oppression and discrimination against PWDs in airports.
He also urged policy makers in the sector to consult and factor in recommendations made by disabilities experts before procuring or constructing disability assistive devices.
He recommended that proper consultation should be made on ramp sizes and heights, door-sizes, elevators sizes and elevator-buses and other facilities in airports across the country.
He also reiterated that the group would continue to sensitise and advocate for an inclusive society and would not relent in making recommendations where necessary to the relevant stakeholders.
National Chairman, Spinalcord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN),Mr Abdulwahab Matepo, urged the aviation to factor-in recommendations made from the various disability clusters.
“Recommendations should be on provision of travel information in various languages including in Braille for the visually impaired and signage for the deaf community.
“We recommend that the ability to communicate using sign language should be a criterion for the recruitment of airport staff and not necessarily the creation of a redundant disability desk office to address PWDs related issues,” he said.
Other stakeholders at the forum called for more Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and interactive platform to share and gather experiences on ways to advocate enhanced inclusive society.
Participants at the event included representatives of Dana Air, Aero-Contractors, United Nigeria Airline, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and representatives of the Ministry of Aviation.
