Lagos State, in collaboration with Skal International, plans to include people with disabilities in governance, renewing hope for their involvement in society.

The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, along with the Tourism Ministry and Skal International, has committed to including people with disabilities in governance and societal development.

Speaking at the World Tourism Day celebration in Lagos, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Bolaji Ogunlende emphasised the state government’s aim to ensure no one is left behind, especially the disabled community.

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He reiterated this during a visit to the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind, where he highlighted the need to renew hope for people with disabilities by recognising them as integral citizens of Lagos and Nigeria.

Ogunlende stated, “We aim to achieve inclusivity, ensuring that people with disabilities are not left out of governance and societal development.”

Similarly, Mr. Idris Aregbe, Senior Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, stressed the importance of supporting both able-bodied and disabled individuals in the state’s development plans.

He also called for support for private organisations like Skal International in their efforts to assist institutions such as the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind.

Skal International Chairman, Mr. Chudi Aligwekwe, cited a World Health Organization report, which states that one in six people globally live with a disability, including blindness.