Civil Society Groups may Blacklist Rockview Hotel, Abuja; Allege Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
The Nigerian Civil Society Groups may unanimously boycott the facilities of a popular hospitality firm in Abuja; Rockview Hotels over an alleged discrimination meted by the management of the hotels to a group of persons with disabilities. The management of Rockview Hotels, was alleged to have turned out a group of persons with disabilities who had sought to use the facilities of the hotels sometimes in June 2012.
A leader of the forum for the persons with disabilities in Nigeria; Danlami Basharu who is also a lawyer was reported to have turned down invitation to attend a workshop earlier scheduled for Rockview Hotel, Abuja in the first week of October, 2012 on account of alleged discrimination against a group of persons living with disabilities by Rockview Hotel. According to Basharu who is leading voice in the fight against discrimination against persons with disabilities in Nigeria, in a mail circulated amongst the civil society, ‘’the Joint National Association of Persons with D
isabilities (JONAPD) has an outstanding issue with Rockview Hotel, i.e., discrimination against persons with disabilities which occurred early in the year, where Rockview Hotels at the last minute turned out persons with disabilities and greatly inconvenienced us and our partners. We had to work till midnight of the day before our meeting to get people accommodated’’.
NigerianEcho learnt that Basharu complaint and rejection of the invitation which was circulated amongst civil society groups on account of the allegation elicited spontaneous reaction and outrage from individuals and groups with the civil society. In response to reactions and condemnation of the ordeal levelled against the hotels, the organisers of the workshop slated for 4th October was reported to have promptly shifted the venue in apparent move to assuage the feelings of Nigerian civil society groups.
However, there are indications that the complaints of JONAPD against Rockview Hotels may lead to possible future boycott of the facilities of the Hotels by civil society groups in Nigeria. already, some leading voices in Nigerian civil society are reportedly committed to taking further moves against the Hotels which may include a call for boycott if the management of the hotel fails to show remorse and take responsibility for its action. While it is not unlikely that JONAPD could be contemplating legal action, there are strong indications that the case against Rockview Hotel may set the stage for the long overdue advocacy to entrench and enforce relevant laws to discourage discrimination against persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
