FG inaugurates access-to-work scheme for PWDs

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities with support from Sightsavers inaugurated a Special Committee on Access to work Scheme for Persons with Disabilities with a 2-day Capacity Building Workshop. Speaking on Monday at the event in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Hon. Ayuba Gufwan, said […]

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities with support from Sightsavers inaugurated a Special Committee on Access to work Scheme for Persons with Disabilities with a 2-day Capacity Building Workshop.

Speaking on Monday at the event in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Hon. Ayuba Gufwan, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and seeks to promote inclusive economic participation for over 35.5 million Nigerians with disabilities.

“This initiative is not merely another event; it is a bold step forward in the struggle for equity, dignity, and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in our national workforce,” Gufwan said.

He noted that despite legal frameworks like the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), many PWDs still face systemic barriers to employment.

“Employment is one of the most powerful vehicles for empowerment… The Renewed Hope Agenda calls for a shift from welfare dependency to economic participation, and this scheme is a direct response to that call. You cannot leave out 35 million Nigerians living with disabilities and still expect that greatness. So, it’s an opportunity for us to press for total inclusion in the workplace so that we will move Nigeria to that height we all dream of,” he stated.

The scheme, he explained, would be supported by workplace accessibility audits, assistive technologies, inclusive hiring practices, and incentives for private sector participation.

“Let me be very clear: the government cannot do this alone. The private sector must be a key partner and champion of this movement. Inclusion is not a burden—it is an economic imperative,” he said.

He also thanked Sightsavers Nigeria and TAF Africa for their technical support and commitment to disability inclusion.

The two-day capacity-building workshop is expected to equip stakeholders with strategies to execute the scheme effectively.

“This marks the beginning of a new chapter—one that envisions a Nigeria where persons with disabilities are not just seen, but engaged, empowered, and employed,” Gufwan added.