by Agbo Chris,
Persons with Disabilities especially the Blind are frequently not considered potentials members of the workforce. Perception, myth, fear and prejudice continue to limit understanding and acceptance of disabilities in workplace everywhere. These have led to many graduates with disabilities struggle to be gainfully employed and the frustration has pushed many to street begging just to survive. Employment of Persons with disabilities has always been canvassed by different handles of the government in the time past but none has been implemented. Now, Discrimination against Persons with disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 has legalized the rights of Persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others and place a penalty to denial of the work opportunity to PWDs on the basis of disability.
African Charter, United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), all stated that PWDs should not discriminated against on the basis of disability when it comes to employment because they have equal right to work.
It is based on this that Nigeria Association of the Blind FCT Chapter (NAB FCT) on Monday in Abuja organized a press conference on their new project to demand that five (5) % of employment opportunities as stipulated in the National Disability Act 2018 be reserved for persons with disabilities.
The group urged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to set up a task force to ensure that the National Disability Act is fully implemented.
They also called on Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Orientation Agency who are saddled with the responsibilities of disseminating information about the act to rise to the occasion and commence the process now.
The group suggested that government should provide tax incentives for private organizations that are employing persons with disabilities to encourage them and many others to employ more persons with disabilities.
They called on government to make public infrastructures accessible for persons with disabilities and also ensure reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in their work environment.
The Chairman of the group, Mr. Obinna Ekujereonye while speaking at the conference said that NAB FCT is carrying out a project known as Access to Employment for Persons with disabilities supported by Disability Right Fund (DRF). He said that the project will run for 12 months and they would be advocating for employment for the qualified PWDs and put together skilled training for those who don’t have requisite qualification for formal employment.
Speaking further, he said that they would be demanding for a more inclusive society and also engaging government to ensure the implementation of 5% employment opportunities as it is stipulated in Section 29 of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 which came into being courtesy of President Muhammadu Buhari when he signed it into law in January 2019. He commended the President for the legislation and also the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities which is also a product of the act.
He informed that NAB FCT carried out a project in 2019 titled “Access to Public Infrastructure for PWDs” supported by Disability Right Fund(DRF), the project brought about an Accessibility Audit of Public Infrastructures in the FCT and it was evident from their research findings that most of the public infrastructures are not physically accessible for persons with disabilities and none of them have in place disability friendly policies to address communication needs of persons with disabilities.
“What this means is that persons with disabilities will continue to be excluded from opportunities that would improve their lives and miss out on participating in activities that will enable their economic growth and development” he said.
In view of the above challenge, the group reviewed the National Building Code and found out that it did not fully take into consideration the needs of PWDs which necessitated strategic advocacy to key stakeholders and there are signs of commitments on the part of these stakeholders.
Alhaji Abdulmumuni Ujah, the Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) FCT Chapter speaking at the event told the media that they are to hold government accountable to ensure that the law is fully implemented. He urged them to always consult PWDs to know the right word to use while referring to them. He pleaded that they use the right terminologies while reporting the issues of persons with disabilities.
Beatrice Mube, JONAPWD FCT Women leader urged the media to be the mouthpiece of PWDs because their voices cannot be heard if the media don’t amplify it.
“Everybody is one minute away from being a person with disability, it can happen to anybody at any time, so whatever you are doing to uplift the wellbeing of PWDs, you are also doing it for yourself because it would be useful for you when you eventually become a person with disability, if disability doesn’t come in form of accident, old age, it would surely come so let’s together build an inclusive society” she said.
TQM learnt that the group would be embarking on series of strategic advocacy which entails advocacy visits to key stakeholders and using the media to promote the need for government to fully implement the law on the employment opportunities of persons with disabilities.
