Reps urged to review 5% employment reserved for PLWDs

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDS), the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and other stakeholders have called on the House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities to push for a review of the 5% employment opportunities reserved for People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs). They made the call at the Public Hearing […]

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDS), the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and other stakeholders have called on the House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities to push for a review of the 5% employment opportunities reserved for People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs).

They made the call at the Public Hearing on Access to Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for PWLDs in Nigeria, which was held by the committee.

In his address, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDS), Ayuba Gufwan, urged the National Assembly to review the five per cent employment reservation allotted to persons with disabilities.

He said, “Our challenge and appeal from the commission is the employment portion reserved for PLWDs, which is inadequate.

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“If only five per cent is reserved for PLWDs, then who and who gets the remaining 95 per cent when we have thousands of PLWDs 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 PLWDs.”

Gufwan however informed that as part of its efforts, the commission has reserved 3,000 training slots for persons with special needs.

On his part, the National President, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Abdullahi Usman, reiterated the call on the National Assembly to make policies that will eradicate poverty, and enhance the lives of Nigerians, especially persons with disabilities.

He said apart from the limited employment slots, the PLWDs face inaccessibility to buildings and discrimination.

In his remarks earlier, the Chairman House Committee on Disability, Ashiru Dauda, noted that while the National Disability Act was not perfect, it had provided lots of pathways in solving major challenges affecting PWDs.

He said, “This House of Representatives passed the National Disability Act , which is the discrimination against persons with disabilities Prohibition act 2018.

“The act is not perfect but it provides a lot of pathways in solving some of our problems. Most of what the House of Representatives is doing now is the implementation, ensuring that the act is being implemented.”

He assured that the house is committed to ensure the effective implementation of the laws it passed.