By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja
A Disability rights activist in Kogi State and President of Applicants and Workers with Disabilities Association, Comrade Samuel Mark, has called on the state assembly to amend relevant sections of the disability law to make good its intention to create equal opportunities for persons with special needs in the state to be gainfully employed into the state civil service.
Mark, in a statement in Lokoja, on Friday, said the state disability law ironically provides for 30% employment slots for Persons With Disabilities (PWD) and 70% employment for able persons contrary to the aspirations of the PWDs in the state in whom interest the state disability affairs office (known as KOSODA) was established by a legislative framework.
He enjoined the state government to correct the anomaly to entrench social justice and inclusion of persons with disabilities within and outside Kogi State.
“The issue of unemployment is a serious issue that needs urgent government attention. We appreciate the former governor for establishing the Agency, which is expected to cater to the needs of persons with disabilities in the state.
Mark says PWDs are not considered as potential human resources that can add value to the workforce even though we have great men and women with potential skills that can contribute significantly to nation-building and higher productivity in the state and nation at large, but we face more difficulties in the labour market compared to their able counterparts.
He lamented the situation, adding that the situation is worst with the females as they contend with negative Perceptions, myths, and prejudice, which limits their participation in the political and economic process of the Nigerian state.
“The establishment of the Agency gave us a high hope for employment within the agency and other empowerment programs that would bring succour to our members.
“Unfortunately, it is over three years since the establishment and no single person with a disability works in the disability agency.”
Expressing his dissatisfaction and concerns about the association with the composition of staff, the famous activist said the Kogi state disability law gives 70% of the workforce of the Agency to able-body individuals while 30% is for Persons with Disabilities, a situation he describes as unacceptable and counterproductive If the aspirations of the disability community is anything to go by as he posits that, “if we don’t have equal opportunity of employment in our own Agency, where else can persons with disabilities work or find jobs?
The activist opines that the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act 2018 stipulates in part VI section 29 that “All employers of labour and organizations shall as much as possible have persons with disabilities constituting at least 5% of their employment”.
Mr. Mark appeals to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to approve the recruitment of persons with special needs into the state civil service.
Mark says the ACT when fully implemented, will reduce the level of unemployment in the community of persons with disabilities, but the lack of political will of the government to implement the disability law dashed the hope of the applicants and workers with disabilities in Kogi State to gain employment, hence, the need to employ a reasonable number of persons with disabilities into Kogi State Office for Disability Affairs (KOSODA).
“As we speak, no single person with a disability works with the Agency. This has pushed persons with disabilities away from the agency due to the lack of an inclusive atmosphere.
“We appeal to Governor Ododo to implement to the latter the provisions of Kogi State disability ACT, 2018, which provides for at least 5% of every employment to be reserved for persons with disabilities.
“This would go a long way in bringing our members out of poverty, reduce begging, and equally create a platform for us to contribute our quota to the development of the society.”
According to him, a lot of employment was done in the past by the previous administration, but very few persons with disabilities could have their way.
“If in all the employments, we had the opportunity to get at least 5% of the slots, a lot of our members would have been absorbed into different offices, excluding persons with disabilities from income-generating activities leads to negative feelings of worthlessness, social and economic exclusion,” the activist explained.
