32 Special Needs Kids Sleep Rough After Lagos Gov't Fails Them

Photo: The Punch

My people, wetin we dey see for Lagos State these days no be small thing o! Imagine say 32 children wey get cerebral palsy and autism just dey sleep under bridge because government don show them pepper. Their therapy center wey don dey help them for 16 whole years just get evicted like common criminals.

Abeg, make we talk am as e be. These no be ordinary pikin dem - these na special children wey need extra care and attention. Some of them no fit walk well-well, some no fit talk properly, but their families been find hope for this center wey don dey take care of them since 2008.

How We Take Reach This Point?

The matter be say this therapy center wey dey help these children suddenly receive eviction notice. After 16 years of service to Lagos community, them just wake up one morning tell the management say "pack your load comot here." No proper notice, no alternative arrangement for the children - nothing!

The center been dey provide physiotherapy, speech therapy, and other important services wey these children need to survive and grow. Now, where dem wan go? Na street dem wan make these vulnerable children sleep?

Where Lagos State Government Dey?

This one pain me well-well because Lagos State Government always dey boast say dem care about inclusive society and supporting people with disabilities. But when push come to shove, na so dem treat the most vulnerable among us?

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, your excellency sir, where you dey? These children need immediate intervention from your administration. E no make sense say for a state wey dey generate billions of naira internally, 32 special needs children go dey homeless because of eviction.

The Human Cost of Government Negligence

Make we think am well - these children families don spend years building routine around this center. The physiotherapy sessions, the speech therapy, the specialized care - all these things important pass anything for their development.

Now, because of one careless eviction, all that progress fit just disappear. Some of these children fit regress in their development because dem no get access to the specialized care again. That one na tragedy wey we fit avoid if government just do the right thing.

The parents sef, imagine the wahala dem dey face now. Apart from the normal stress of taking care of special needs children, now dem still need find new place wey go provide the same level of care. For Lagos where good healthcare no easy to find, this one na serious problem.

What Government Must Do Now

First thing first - Lagos State Government must provide immediate temporary accommodation for these children and their families. We no fit allow them sleep under bridge while we dey look for permanent solution.

Second, the government must either:

• Provide alternative building for the therapy center to continue operations
• Fast-track the process of finding new permanent location
• Partner with existing facilities to absorb these children
• Create emergency fund to support the families during this transition

The Lagos State Ministry of Health and Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations need to coordinate immediate response. This matter no be something wey dem suppose dey discuss for meeting room while children dey suffer outside.

Calling Civil Society and Well-Meaning Nigerians

While we dey wait for government response, civil society organizations, NGOs, and well-meaning Nigerians need to step in. These children need help now, not tomorrow.

If you get connection with organizations wey fit help, please reach out. If you know people for government wey fit intervene, make noise reach them. These children no get voice for themselves, so we must be their voice.

The Bigger Picture: System Failure

This particular case na just tip of iceberg. How many other vulnerable groups dey suffer because of poor planning and insensitive policies? How many facilities wey dey provide essential services go just disappear tomorrow because government no get proper framework to protect them?

Lagos State need proper policy framework wey go protect facilities serving vulnerable populations. Before you evict any place wey dey provide essential social services, there must be alternative arrangement.

We cannot continue to treat people with disabilities like afterthought for policy making. These na human beings wey deserve dignity and respect.

Time for Action

Governor Sanwo-Olu, Commissioner for Health Dr. Akin Abayomi, and all relevant officials - we dey watch una response to this matter. These 32 children and their families na test case for how serious Lagos State government take the welfare of vulnerable citizens.

Make una no disappoint us. The whole of Nigeria dey watch how Lagos go handle this crisis. Una fit still redeem una image by acting fast and showing these children say dem matter.

To our readers, make we no just read this story and move on. Share am, tag government officials for social media, make noise until something happen. These children deserve better than sleeping rough for Lagos streets.

We go dey follow this story closely, and we go make sure say government officials answer for their actions or inactions. That na promise!