LASG, Private Sector Collaborates to Boost Tourism, Youth Development

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social development and its Tourism counterpart in collaboration with Skal International have concluded plans to ensure that people with disabilities are carried along in the course of good governance in the state.

Speaking at this year’s World Tourism celebration in Lagos, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Bolaji Ogunlende said the government will leave no one behind in the move to develop the youths in the state.

Ogunlende said the government was at the Federal Nigeria Society for Blind to celebrate this year’s World Tourism Day with a view to renewing the hope of people with disabilities.

He said that the government want to also want to ensure that people with disabilities are made to part of governance, as the government makes plans to citizens of the state, plans for the development of people with disabilities.

He said: “What we hope to achieve by carrying everybody along especially those with disabilities, is to give them renewed hope to let them know that they are also a part of the society, to let them know that they are citizens of Lagos and citizens of Nigeria.”

In his comment, the Senior Assistant to Governor on Tourism, Mr. Idris Aregbe said that it was right for the government to ensure both the able and disabled persons are carried along the course of governance in the state.

Aregbe also said that Skal as a private organization, must be supported to for it to be able to support an institution like the Federal Nigeria Society for Blind adding that as a government, it will always support initiative like this.

Also speaking, Chairman of Skal International, Mr. Chudi Aligwekwe said according to World Health Organization report, one out of every six human in the world is disabled and that includes the blind.