Foundation seeks monthly stipends for PWDs

Forum 8 months ago

Foundation seeks monthly stipends for PWDs

The Kehinde Oshilaja Foundation, formerly known as the Centre for Disability Issues, has appealed to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to consider the payment of monthly stipends for persons living with disabilities and the elderly in the state.

The Convener of the foundation, Kehinde Oshilaja, who spoke on Wednesday at the 2023 Annual Sustainability Fund for the Aged Lecture and Fundraising held at the Youth Centre, Yaba, said payment of compulsory stipends to the PWDs and the elderly in the state would curb the menace of street begging in the state.

Oshilaja appealed for “more opportunities like the institution of compulsory monthly payment for all people living with disabilities and aged people in Lagos State,” adding that the payment of at least N20,000 monthly stipend to each PWD in the state would go a long way in reducing street begging.

He noted that if stipends are paid by the state government in conjunction with all the local governments of habitation of all PWDs, “none of (our) members would be found wanting as far as begging on the street of Lagos is concerned.”

Appreciating the governor, Oshilaja said, “Let it be known that the duo of the Governor and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly had always accorded adequate priority to the welfare of people living with disabilities, to the extent of always creating avenues for ensuring that people with disabilities are not stigmatised whether on transportation, health care or education.”