By Daniel Kanu,
Assistant Politics Editor
Dissatisfied by the recent increase in petrol price from N86.50K to N145.00K per litre announced by the Minister of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has said that its members were in agreement with mass action against the escalation.
CCD stated that they were shocked with the sad development, stressing that the action of President Muhammadu Buhari was a classic example of government carelessness and insensitivity.
The group said that the action would worsen the cost of living with those living with disability as the price hike would create more economic hardship on them.
Besides, CCD urged Buhari to revert to the old pump price and ensure that adequate measure was taken to reduce the pains and agony of those living with disability in the country.
The centre spoke through its Executive Director, David O. Anyaele.
His words: “The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is shocked over the increase of petrol pump price from N86.50 to N145.00 by the Minister for State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu.
“This action from President Muhammadu Buhari is a classic example of government carelessness, insensitivity and state effort to inflict pain and uncommon hardship against the poor masses and Nigerians with disabilities in particular.
“What this increased fuel pump price means is that the cost of living with disability will definitely increase far beyond what you can think or imagine; a blind Nigerian will pay more than ever before to move around with his personal assistant so also is a person with physical challenges.
“What this increase in fuel pump price also means to the disability community include: decrease in participation in economic activities due to high cost of transport, higher exposure to multiple disabilities, increased poverty, family breakdown, and sometimes to untimely death. Poverty is the major cause of disability and disability causes poverty as well.
“It is disheartening to note that Nigerians living with disability will suffer more as a result of this hike in petrol price due to absence of social security measure for the most vulnerable of the vulnerable social groups, Nigerians living with disability.”
CCD noted further that “while we speak of preventing disabilities through better healthcare, nutrition, and safe environments, while we feel pained over the allocation of N80 million for the rehabilitation of more than 25 million Nigerians with Disabilities in the 2016 Federal Budget.
“While we urge President Buhari’s government to take appropriate measures; National Assembly passage and assent to Nigeria Disability Bill, safeguarding the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities and implement programmes aimed at full integration, participation and equal recognition.
“While we lobby governments for the inclusion of Nigerians living with disability in SDG’s and increase expenditure on rehabilitation and development for persons with disabilities, while we ask government to remove all barriers and ensure citizens with disabilities’ access to public infrastructure, we witness the systematic exposure of Nigerians with disability to multiple disability through increased petroleum pump price. This is sad.”
As a result, CCD cautioned Buhari “to return to petroleum pump price of N86.50, ensure adequate measure to reduce the pains and agony of living with disability in Nigeria”.
If not “We express our strong support for mass protest against the increase of fuel pump price and we call on Nigerians to ensure that issues of concern to Nigerians living with disability are adequately mainstreamed in all dialogue with the government on this issue”.