National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, NCPWDS, has urged the National Assembly to review the five percent employment slot reserved for Persons With Disabilities, PWDs.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the allotment is by virtue of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018.
Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr Ayuba Gufwan, made the appeal yesterday in Abuja, at a public hearing on Access to Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for PWDs in Nigeria.
Gufwan, said it is pertinent that the five per cent provision be reviewed and the employment slots be commensurate with the population of PWDs in Nigeria.
“We appreciate the National Assembly for giving us the opportunity to speak here today. Our challenge and appeal is the employment portion reserved for PWDs, which is inadequate.
“If only five percent is reserved for PWDs, then who and who gets the remaining 95 percent when we have thousands of PWDs who are qualified for employment, but are being denied this opportunities based on the portion allotted?
“We believe that since these things are going up for review in the House, we appeal that the five percent be reviewed to be commensurate to the overall population of PWDs,” he said.
The executive secretary commended the National Directorate of Empowerment, NDE, for providing 3,000 training slots for PWDs in its ongoing recruitment and urged relevant stakeholders to emulate the NDE.
The executive secretary, NCPWDS reiterated that the commission and other organisations of persons with disabilities would continue to promote the disability law and advocate for effective implementation of its provisions.
Chairmanx House Committee on Disability, Ashiru Dauda, in response, said civic engagement remains a critical aspect of legislation and public awareness cannot be over-emphasised over disability related matters.
According to Dauda, it is commendable to have key principal stakeholders in this public hearing because; this is the only way to hear what needs to be done.
“For some of you, this is the first time of entering the House which is not supposed to be so, the National Assembly is yours and we are here for you.
“This close contact is called civic engagement where you tell us your concerns and the things you would like us to do and during the legislation, your input would be strongly considered,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that the National Disability Act is not perfect, but had provided a pathways in solving the major challenges affecting PWDs.
He said the House of Representatives is working through motions; to ensure that the law is being implemented, adding that it would not relent in ensuring that Nigeria becomes an inclusive nation.
Also speaking, National President, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, JONAPWD, Dr Abdullahi Usman, said asides the limited employment slots, inaccessible buildings and discrimination against PWDs, there is the need to eradicate poverty.
Usman urged the National Assembly to make laws and policies that would eradicate poverty, improve the lives of Nigerians, especially PWDs and eliminate illiteracy. NAN
