IT'S A RAMP!!!!

                                                          

The provision of easy entry to buildings and vehicles for people with disabilities shouldn't be a difficult task. This makes movement easy and convenient for persons living with a disability. We also take pride in moving around ourselves with little or no assistance. It is sad to say that the reverse is the case when it comes to accessing public buildings/places like schools, churches, banks, eatery/restaurants, roads etc.  in our society. Hmmm this feeling is very sad and degrading. 

This write up is motivated by a friend's recent Facebook post. Godstime is a friend of mine who happens to be one of the many wheelchairs users we have in Nigeria. Seeing the post below on his Facebook wall angered me because I totally understand what he was feeling at the time he made the post. I may not be a wheelchair user, but this is totally my business as I also live with a disability and share in the pain of our inability to access public places in this country.

De Prince Godstime "Sometime I begin to wonder if disable people especially wheelchair user are the thieves Nigerian banks are preventing from gaining entrance into the banks because of their security doors. FOR HOW LONG WILL I CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT TRANSACTIONS OUTSIDE THE BANK. Can you imagine how wet I am right now. Or are we not one of your esteem customer.....‪#‎thinking‬#just my thoughts#"

It is indeed sad that at our level in this country, people still construct/build houses, roads, businesses and institutions without people like us in mind. It is indeed a shame because I know we can do better. I still can't understand why our government, groups and individuals find it difficult to include and consider persons with disabilities in their plans when building. How difficult is that really?  

Now you can imagine how happy I was when I visited airtel office at Onne road in G.R.A. Port-Harcourt to find a disability ramp, a good one for that matter. I am not saying this is the only public building with a ramp in Port-Harcourt, I am saying that they got it right. The level of the ramp is convenient for any wheelchair user as I have seen a few that looks like a mountain top. Although in this case, a wheelchair person would still need assistance at the door however, this is a good effort. Good job airtel. 

I know Rome was not built in a day but, I also do think that we as a country can do better. So people, when next you are thinking of building PLEASE include disability access in your plan. Thank you.

I love you for stopping by. 

Sharon xxx.