The Umbrella body of Organizations of Persons With Disabilities, Joint National Association Of Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) has called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint Persons With Disabilities as Ministers, Director Generals, etc and also ensure that there is appointment of special adviser on disability.
The group through their National President, Abdullahi Usman Aliyu and the National Secretary, Ishiaku Adamu made this call in Abuja during a world press conference organized by the group on the state of affairs in Nigeria.
The National President, Abdullahi Usman Aliyu informed that going by section 29 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, which provide a reserved percentage of five percent (5%) employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, the rights of Nigerians with Disabilities, who are eligible and sufficiently qualified to work, has not been met with the required fulfillment thresholds.
Speaking further, he said that it is worrisome, the ill representation of persons with disabilities in leadership and governance has continued to foster disability non-responsive policies and programmes at all government levels.
“This reality has reinforced the scaling of persons with disabilities in the board sample of Nigerians with poorer well-being, coupled with reduced access to services related to health, work, rehabilitation, education, government social welfare, humanitarian responses and many others.
He stated that a population of over Thirty-One (31) million Nigerians with Disabilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). should not be overlooked in scheme of things in Nigeria.
“Amongst these Nigerians are professionals with disabilities with relevant certifications and professionalism in different fields and endeavors. With excellent experiences, creativity and innovations, JONAPWD interacts with a qualitative pool of professionals with verifiable and commendable performance index across all the sectors. These professionals are available to lead and support at national, regional and international levels” he added.
He also said that “Without any gainsaying, having them in elective and appointive positions will immediately assist in mainstreaming disability inclusion in the Nigerian development agenda, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other internationally agreed development goals.
The National Secretary, JONAPWD Ishiaku Adamu urged the President to appoint at least 3 persons with Disabilities as Ministers and Director Generals and ensure that a person who should be a person with disability would be appointed as Special Adviser on Disability to Mr. President.He appealed for a meeting between the President and persons with disabilities.
“Mr. President should meet with Persons With Disabilities the same way he has been meeting with other groups” he emphasized.
