The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDS) has urged the National Assembly to review the five per cent employment reservation allotted to Persons
By Diana Omueza
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDS) has urged the National Assembly to review the five per cent employment reservation allotted to 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.
Mr Ayuba Gufwan, Executive Secretary of the commission, made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja, at a Public Hearing on Access to Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for PWDs in Nigeria.
Gufwan said that it was pertinent that the five per cent provision be reviewed and the employment slots be commensurate with the population of the PWDs in Nigeria.
“We appreciate the National Assembly for giving us the opportunity to speak here today. Our challenge and appeal from the commission is the employment portion reserved for PWDs, which is inadequate.
“If only five per cent is reserved for PWDs, then who and who gets the remaining 95 per cent when we have thousands of PWDs who are qualified for employment but are being denied these 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 per cent 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 3000 training slots for PWDs in its ongoing recruitment and urged other 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.
Dr Ashiru Dauda, Chairman House Committee on Disability, in response, said that civic engagement remained a critical aspect of legislation and public awareness could not be over-emphasised over disability-related matters.
According to him, it is commendable to have key principal stakeholders in the public hearing because it is the only way to hear what needs to be done.
“For some of you, this is the first time of entering your 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.
Dauda however acknowledged that the National Disability Act was not perfect but had provided lots of pathways in solving major challenges affecting PWDs.
He said that the house of representatives was working through motions; to ensure that the law was being implemented, adding that it would not relent to ensure that Nigeria became an inclusive nation.
Also speaking, Dr Abdullahi Usman, National President, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), said that asides limited employment slots, inaccessible buildings and discrimination against PWDs, there was 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)
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