Physically Challenged Persons Decry Lack Of Befitting Wheelchairs At Gombe Airport

BY NAJIB SANI, GOMBE

Persons With Disabilities (PWDS) in Gombe State have lamented that lack of universally accepted wheelchairs prevents them from having access to the Gombe State airport.

They made the lamentation during a sensitization workshop organized by a Coalition of People With Disability Organisations in conjunction with Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities and Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative with support from Disability Rights Fund Project.

One of them, Fatima Yakubu, National Women Leader for people with Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria and State Chairperson; decried the challenges some of her members faced in accessing some Airport facilities.

“The problem we face in Gombe Airport is the distance from the departure to the aircraft. Secondly, some of the aircrafts are not compliant to the needs of persons with disabilities. They lack things like adequate wheelchairs.

“We are pleading to government to come to our aid by domesticating the National Disability law in Gombe State. The law is important for our well-being.” She said.

Also, Abdulwahab Matepo, National Chairman of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria said due to the overwhelming security issues, Air travel was not only fastest but safer, lamenting the challenges members faced embarking on aircrafts.

“Given the insecurity on our roads we also want to avoid some of the security challenges. Travelling by air is very problematic for people with disabilities that was how we conducted a result on what experiences our people have been going through then look at facilities they have for PWD.

“Gombe Airport has limited facilities because its still a State Government facility, if it were Federal Government the facility, it would have been of higher status.

“I am happy the Government is making effort at the State level to hand it over but we still appreciate what they have because it has made travelling to Gombe very easy but the challenge include distance between aircraft, the arrival and departure hall.

“They should provide universally acceptable wheelchairs because as one with Spinal cord disability, I can’t crawl like one with some induced by polio would, I will need a wheelchair that I can open from the side and slide.” He cried out.