*As FG secures N20b FDI on local production of disability assistive devices
Nigeria business community has confirmed its commitment to comply with the provisions of the disability laws, especially in providing five per cent employment opportunities for People Living with Disabilities (PwDs)
They made the commitment at a conference recently held in Lagos between members of the business community and the management of National Commission for Persons With Disabilities led by the commission’s Executive Secretary, Mr James Lalu.
Briefing News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the outcome of the meeting on Sunday in Abuja, Lalu said the conference was attended by 57 top private business organisations including, KFC, MTN, Access Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Unilever Nigeria PLC, Total Energy among others,
He said the business entities equally agreed to provide easy accessibility of PwDs to their business environment as well as accommodation in their workplaces for the disability community.
“Based on this commitment, I see a very cheering business community, committing themselves to making sure that they comply with the provisions of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 as well as the regulations on accessibility for PwDs.
” I can boldly say that we are making progress on the issue of accessibility and we have created awareness on the need for the general public to embrace the disability community.
This is very impressive and we also require the support of each and everybody to make this a success,” he said.
Lalu said that in the public sector, the mandatory five per cent employment opportunity quota for PWDs is captured in section 28 and 29 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act.
In achieving this, the executive secretary said the commission partnered with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
He said a circular had been issued on inclusion of the provision in the public service rules to ensure its maximum compliance.
Lalu said the commission recently secured over 200 employment for Persons with Disabilities in line with the Act
The ES also disclosed that the commission was planning to launch a platform for employers and potential PwD employees, where organisations seeking recruitment can advertise.
To prepare PwDs for competitive employment opportunities, Lalu said the commission signed Memorandum of Understanding with five Universities to establish Centre for Disability Studies.
“Starting with the Nasarawa State University, Keffi the centre for disability studies is expected to run five different Degree programmes.
“The first, is the Bachelor of Accessibility Engineering, which will be able to produce experts, independent consultants that will have the technical know-how on how to provide assistive facilities for PwDs.
“All buildings from the start, is expected to engage the services of accessibility consultants, who will monitor the building from the design up to completion level to make sure these accessibility features are properly fitted into the building.
“It is only after this conformity that the building will be qualified to be issued with the National Accessibility Compliance Certificate,” he said.
The second programme, according to Lalu, is Bachelor of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Management, expected to train intermediate rehabilitation experts that would provide rehabilitation services to PwDs at the community level.
Another programme, according to the ES, is Bachelor of Art in Sign Language, which will be studied in Nigeria major languages.
Lalu said, it is a deliberate policy to produce sign language experts in Nigerian Languages who would bridge the gap between the deaf community and the hearing ones.
“Our mandate is to make sure we deploy sign language interpreters to all government offices and organisations where their services are needed,” he said.
Lalu said the institutions would also run Degree programme on Assistive Technology, (B.A Tech on Assistive Technology) aimed to train PwDs or any interested persons on design, manufacturing, assessment and administration of assistive technology for PWD.
“Assistive devices are supposed to be customised because a wheelchair for persons who have spinal cord injury is different from the wheelchair of survivors of polio.
“So, the degree programme is expected to carry along all this to make sure that everything is fitted for PwDs,” he said.
Lalu reiterated the commitment of the commission to providing opportunities for PwDs and stand in defence of their rights and dignity.
N20B FDI ON LOCAL PRODUCTION OF DISABILITY ASSISTIVE DEVICES
The Federal Government says it has secured Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the tune N20 billion towards facilitating local production of assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Dr James Lalu, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Lalu said, the need to source for investors in the manufacturing of locally made assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) became necessary due to the high cost of the imported devices.
” Recently, we secured a foreign direct Investment to the tune of N20 billion and the organisation is committed to starting the local manufacturing of assistive devices as an MoU has already been signed.
”The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities is going forward to make sure that we provide this opportunity to Nigeria for the manufacturing of local assistive devices.
”This is due to the fact that 99 per cent of our assistive devices are imported and the prices are higher and are now getting out of the reach of the poor.
“Even, the budgetary allocation provided may not be able to provide assistive devices to the disability community across all states of the federation,” he said.
Lalu added that promoting local contents in the manufacturing of assistive devices will go a long way to increase patronage and boost the nation’s economy.
”With the local manufacturing of assistive devices, it will encourage the state governments, local governments and other government agencies to procure and distribute them to the disability communities.
”The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities is working already in the area of local manufacturing of assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities.
”These include, wheelchairs, hearing aids and other devices for the blind and the deaf as well as persons with albinism,” he said
The Executive Secretary disclosed that the commission was touting for talent in innovative and creative industry to improve in the production of assistive devices for PwDs.
”Just recently, we saw a video circulating on social media about one person in Kano, who was able to manufacture a digital eye-glass that can assist a blind person to walk around using sensors that will communicate to him through voice.
” When we saw this, we put an invitation to the innovator to come to our head office.
“We are expecting him at our head office on Tuesday and we are going to review his invention, to see what we can do, to partner with the Bank of Industry and NASENI to bring the innovation to reality in Nigeria,” he said.
Lalu noted that Nigeria is a land of great opportunities ,adding the the commission will scout for the opportunities in other to bring the disability community into technological era.
