By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Mr James Lalu, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disability (NCPWD) has assured employers of Persons with Disability (PWD) to help with Assistive Devices where applicable.
Lalu made the pledge at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Diversity and Inclusion Conference organized by the Nigerian Business Disability Network in conjunction with Sightsavers.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Mbanefo JohnMichaels, the Head of Media and Publicity Unit of NCPWD on Saturday in Abuja.
According to Lalu, PWDs are very smart people and the strategy is to support them in order to demonstrate their abilities in disabilities.
The NCPWD boss applauded the initiative taken by various private sectors to partner in the diversity inclusion of PWDs.
“The discourse on the matters of disabilities and interests in their welfare would guarantee their protection as well as their promotion.
“ Disabilities community are all over the streets; we are expected to lunch the Presidential Special Intervention Programmes which would build up skill acquisition programmes.
“However, the Commission has submitted the lists of PWDs to the Central Bank of Nigeria to insert in their data base while the Bank of Industry is coming up with some laudable ideas and initiatives to strengthen industrialation for PWDs .
“We are rolling out massive empowerment programmes for PWDs especially the ones still on the streets,’’ Lalu revealed.
He also condemned the discrimination of PWDs in the job market, describing it as `outdated’.
“Let us give PWDs equal opportunities based on what they can do; by so doing, we will understand that, through diversity and inclusion, we can drive values collectively for ourselves and our organisations’’.
The ES, however, stated that, it is derogatory and painful to use PWDs for slavery on business ventures.
“Nevertheless, we are collaborating with the Inspector General of Police to deal with such issues as we are also helping to train the staff of the Police in the whole Federation on this regard’’. (NAN)