The House of Representatives Committee on Disability Matters has summoned the management of a food outlet, the Kentucky Friend Chicken (KFC), for allegedly discriminating against a Person Living With Disability (PLWD), Adebola Daniel.
Chairman of the committee, Dr Bashiru Dawodu, during a media briefing held at the National Assembly, said that the committee is duty-bound to investigate the issue and other related matters.
Dawodu, representing Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency of Lagos State, said he had reached out to the management of the KFC to explain its own side of the story on the issue.
“The case of Adebola Daniel is one in millions of other unreported cases of such abuses and injustices against people with disabilities.
“This will no longer be tolerated by the government at all levels. Any establishment within the shore of our country, irrespective of owners’ status, should take note. Enough is enough,” he said.
Adebola, son of former Ogun State Governor and serving senator, Gbenga Daniel, had recounted his experience at the KFC outlet of the airport in a series of tweets posted last week Wednesday via his X handle, @DebolaDaniel, where he lamented his humiliating moment and emphasised the broader consequences of such discriminatory actions.”
“Being disabled often rolls over my spirit, leaving behind a trail of shattered dignity and forgotten humanity. Nowhere more so than in Nigeria,” Debola wrote, drawing attention to the systemic challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in the country.
Dawodu said the claim by Daniel sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in Nigeria, adding that it should serve as a wake-up call on the need to intensify efforts for the implementation of the Disability Act.
The lawmaker said that denying individuals with disabilities access to public spaces is not only disrespectful but also undermines ongoing efforts to implement the Disability Act.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House, Dr Tajudeen Abass, said it is imperative that all stakeholders, including businesses, adhere to the provisions of the Disability Act.
