Sanwo-Olu urges public, private sector employers to employ physically challenged

The Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday called on the public and private sectors to increase the employment quotas of qualified physically challenged Nigerians to fill various positions in different organisations. Sanwo-Olu stated this at the graduation ceremony of Bethesda Home for the Blind and the grand finale of activities to mark year […]

The Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday called on the public and private sectors to increase the employment quotas of qualified physically challenged Nigerians to fill various positions in different organisations.

Sanwo-Olu stated this at the graduation ceremony of Bethesda Home for the Blind and the grand finale of activities to mark year 2019 International Day of Persons with Disability, saying it was time Nigerian leaders like him reminded themselves there was ability in disability.

The governor said no one should see disability as a liability. Rather, he declared, leaders should encourage those with one form of impairment or another to realise their full potential in life.

He promised that the Lagos State government would continue to collaborate with the private sector to uplift the living standard of the physically challenged citizens.

Sanwo-Olu said, “We must encourage these students to attain their full potentials by ensuring that they get jobs after their studies. On our part, we will partner the private sector to promote employment inclusion of the visually impaired in our society. It is by doing this that we will increase the economic base of the physically challenged, as well as rid our society of miscreants in our streets.”

The governor disclosed that Lagos State had promulgated a law that discourages the public and private sectors from discriminating against physically challenged people in their various organisations.

Sanwo-Olu, after listening to a speech by Mr Ajayi Adesola Adedokun, a visually impaired lawyer and fellow of the Nelson Mandela Washington Fellowship, who spoke on the plight of qualified but physically challenged people in seeking employment, announced an offer of automatic employment for him.

He also called for the curriculum vitae of 21 others present at the event for possible job placement offer.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also promised to issue a Certificate of Occupancy for four plots of land donated to the Bethesda Home by the Surulere Local Government Area for the construction of a modern building for the blind.

He also pledged his support towards the take-off of the building project.

The Matron of the Home, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, lamented the poor treatment of the blind in Nigeria, saying they were faced with many challenges that hindered their progress in life.