By Chimezie Godfrey
Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, including Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Cedar Seed Foundation, and Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI) with membership operated by People Living With Disabilities, PLWD, have called on the government and stakeholders to address issues of ill-treatment, by local and international airlines, of passengers living with disabilities.
The Coalition made the call on Friday in Abuja at a press conference tagged: “The Insensitivity and ill-treatment of Airlines Towards Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria.”
The group posited that people living with disabilities have had to cope with inconveniences associated with insensitivity of national and international airline operators.
Grace Jerry, the Executive Director Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), decried the inconveniences and discomfort faced by PLWD members while boarding or disembarking from the aircrafts.
“As persons with disabilities, I believe we are first humans, make and females before we had different forms of disabilities.
“So, each you encounter us, understand that and treat us equally or provide all necessary accommodations that would enable us to enjoy every privilege and rights we paid for on your airline.
“We sincerely urge all airlines to desist from similar acts going forward. We will make litigations against any airline that maltreats, discriminates or stigmatizes any person with disability in Nigeria,” she said.
Jerry pointed out that the isle to the seats in the plane is not designed to accommodate wheel chairs, thereby restricts movement while on board.
“Persons with disabilities are assisted to board first but they are forced to alight last after all other passengers regardless of how urgent the need may be.
“Another wrong notions by airline operatives not allowing passengers with disabilities who use electric wheelchair to board/check is that the battery is an explosive device.
“However, I’m handling these wheelchairs, airline attendants have mistakenly or carelessly caused damages to our wheelchairs. That has been my personal experience on two different occasions,” she said.
She revealed that many other PLWDs have suffered similar maltreatment, which most often leaves passengers with disabilities, stranded and even frustrated on arrival at their destinations.
The Executive Director, Cedar Seed Foundation, Lois Auta, said they had drafted recommendations, which would enable government and stakeholders to effectively curb this ugly development.
“All local and international airlines must provide lift trucks to bound PWDs into the aircraft, and provide same when disembarking.
“All local airlines must provide Isle chairs to convey PWD especially those on wheelchairs to the seats on board the plane.
“All airlines that have discriminated or subjected PWDs to I’ll treatments must offer an apology to Nigerian PWDs in both mainstream and Social media platforms.
“Provide airlift free with no added fees,as Freky Andy have been asked to pay for the use of an Ambu-lift in an African country.”
She recommended an overhaul of rusty and rickety airport wheelchairs, and for airlines to strengthen and synergies their communication system by way of connecting staff, captain and crew, among others.
Godwin Ike an aviation researcher and publisher, disclosed that the challenge of maltreatment of PWDs is not controlled in Nigeria.
“The truth is aviation law are controlled all the way from Canada or international civil organization on aviation.
“The Montreal convention holds airline liable only for death, injury and loss of baggage. That’s all.
“And all the airlines know that if you get so angry about how you are maltreated and you go to court the case will amount to nothing because that law supercedes all law of other nations that signed it, and Nigeria is one of the nations. That’s exactly where the Crux of the lies
“So, this war can be won when we take case to the united nations.”
Emeka called on the Nigerian government, specifically, the honorable minister of aviation to begin to with these group to take the message to the appropriate quarters.
