KETU SPECIAL CHILDREN’S CENTRE TO UNDERGO RENOVATION - COMMISSIONER
The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende has stated that the Lagos State Government has not abandoned the Ketu Special Children’s Centre or any project dedicated to the service of People Living With Disabilities (PWDs) in any part of the State.
This was contained in a statement in response to a story titled, “Inside Lagos Abandoned Children’s Centre Where Reptiles, Dogs Thrive’’, written by Sodiq Ojuroungbe in The Punch of December 1, 2024.
Ogunlende promised that the Children Centre is slated for renovation and upgrading to serve the pupils better, adding that the impression created by the story that ’’Government is not doing enough to help people living with disabilities’’ does not only lack balance, objectivity and fairness which are the tenets of true reportage; but the entirety of the story is a misinterpretation of facts as far as the issue of taking care of the PWDs is concerned in Lagos State.
He said, “The decision to shut down Ketu Special Children’s Centre was arrived at following a thorough examination of the facility which revealed there was an absolute need for renovation, rehabilitation and restructuring to serve the purpose better. Rather than jeopardise the lives of our innocent children under the guise of keeping them in a government-owned facility. We then decided to relocate them to the Children Correctional Centre for Junior Boys, Yaba, where they are getting necessary specialised care, support and services. The overarching consideration was in the best interest of the children under our watch. More than any other thing, their safety and total well-being mattered to us as a government’’.
“The government is making concerted efforts to restore Ketu Special Children’s Centre to a habitable and conducive place. It is not something to be done in a hurry. There are different stages involved in it, and they are handled by different professionals. We want to do things the right way. Otherwise, we will end up putting our children in harm’s way. That will not augur well for us. That is not what we represent as leaders in government.
“We acknowledge the fact that we have a lot of work to do with the resources at our disposal to meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people. Yet, the truth is that when it comes to social inclusion, as far as Nigeria is concerned, Lagos is ahead. Just as we have laws to protect the interest of the children, we also have laws to safeguard the PWDs. This is in addition to the agency established to cater to their needs. We have been there for both the children and those living with disabilities and we will continue to be there for them’’, the Commissioner said.
He disclosed that the THEMES Plus Agenda of Mr. Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu places a high premium on social inclusion. By that, the present administration is poised to ensure that no one is left behind in the scheme of things. To this end, the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA) is being accorded due attention and necessary support just like any other MDA in the state civil service. This is to ensure that the PWDs are given a sense of belonging.
“We assist them from time to time. When occasion demands, we celebrate them and celebrate with them. For instance, we join the rest of the world annually to celebrate them on International Day for Disability. We also organise skill acquisition programmes for them to empower them. Presently, any facility being built by the State Government is PWD compliant while we are creating space for them to be employed in the civil service of Lagos State", he stated.
While pleading with members of the public to bear with the government until the needful was done concerning the Ketu Special Children’s Centre, Ogunlende enjoined those who have misgivings about any government project or programmes to always verify any information from the appropriate quarters rather than peddling falsehood which could cause distrust among the citizenry.
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