By Alieu Bobb
Yankuba Faal Sonko, the founder of the Organization for Social Development and Inclusion for Visually Impaired (OSDIVI) has asked for the Gambia Government to consider the living conditions visually impaired persons.
Sonko was speaking at his office as part of the celebrations marking Persons with Disabilities Day.
The advocate opined that politicians only pretend to care about the welfare of the people at the time of canvassing for votes after which, they don’t fulfil their promises.
Sonko said his organisation has been seeking audience with the head of state, but it appears that there is no information from the President to meet them.
“The only time they pretend to care about us is during politics when they need our votes,” Sonko said.
“It is time we wake up and know our worth as Persons With Disabilities,” Sonko said, asking them not to allow any politician to use them to get the votes and then neglect their welfare.
He said the politicians would give them t-shirts and promise to improve their welfare, but after elections they forget them.
The advocate said disability is a situation that anyone can fall in. He added that he was not born a visually impaired person.
“Anyone can be disabled at any stage in your life because I was not not born blind,” he also said.
Omar Ceesay, the President of Gambia Transport Union said Visual Impaired Persons are part of the society and they should not be isolated. He added that the day was important as he thanked the organisation for commemoration of the day.
Ceesay stated that in 2022 alone the Gambia recorded 1,002 road accidents out of which 113 people died and 391 sustained serious injuries. He added that some of them have become persons with disabilities. He said over 300 are undergoing treatment.
