The Centre for Infrastructural and Technological Advancement for the Blind (CITAB) has rejected a proposal by the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) to introduce special vehicle plate numbers for persons with disabilities.

The group stated that the government is out of touch with the realities faced by most disabled people, many of whom it said are unemployed and unable to afford private vehicles.

Jolomi George Fenemigho, CITAB’s executive chairman, accused the government of not prioritising the quality of life of disabled persons but was more interested in the optics of elitism and catering to the elite few whose realities differ sharply from the average majority.

“In Lagos today, countless disabled individuals remain unemployed, without access to free comprehensive healthcare, discounted housing programs, or accessible public transportation,” Jolomi Fenemigho, CITAB’s chairman said in a statement on Thursday. 

“Yet, LASODA considers a specialized plate number a priority. For an agency dedicated to disability rights, such a choice is a glaring dereliction of duty. It leaves one to question whose interests LASODA is truly serving and who is advising the agency on these matters.”

He added that the majority of disabled people rely on public transportation system because they cannot afford to purchase private vehicles.

He said, “LASODA seems to forget that a specialized plate number is of no consequence to a person with a disability who cannot even afford a three square meal, let alone a private car. 

“When an agency that should champion inclusion instead designs benefits for a tiny, financially buoyant minority, it effectively sidelines the millions of PWDs who depend on danfos, BRTs, tricycles, and walking long distances just to survive. Policies must serve the entire disability community, not just a privileged few.”

He advised the government to prioritise the employment of disabled persons into the civil service and ensure all government buildings can be easily accessed.

Mr Fenemigho further asked that the government conduct empathy training for transport union workers to relate with disabled persons.

“When we don’t educate transport operators, law enforcement, and the general public, a custom plate number becomes nothing more than a cosmetic tag that offers zero protection or convenience to a person with a disability navigating Lagos roads,” he added.

The group also demanded that LASODA ring-fence disability funds for structural inclusion and that Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) “be given a formal, independent role in designing, monitoring, and evaluating every disability policy in Lagos State.”