The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Kalu has said that the 10th House is of the view the economic exclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) not just as a human rights violation, but as economic sabotage.
Kalu stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Policy Forum on Advancing Workplace Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Foundation in partnership with Australian High Commission, Irede Foundation, Christian Aid, Inclusive Friends, Ceder Seed Foundation, among others.
He stressed that the enactment of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in 2018 was a watershed moment for the nation.
The Deputy Speaker noted that the Disability Act signaled the end of exclusion and the beginning of a rights-based approach to disability in Nigeria.
He, however, lamented that without implementation, legislation remains a document on a shelf
Kalu stated: “We are gathered here today, seven years after that Act was signed, because the reality in our workplaces does not yet match the promise of our laws.
“The 10th House of Representatives views the economic exclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) not just as a human rights violation, but as economic sabotage.
“We cannot realistically aim to grow Nigeria’s GDP or build a resilient economy while systematically locking out millions of capable, driven, and valuable citizens from the workforce.
“My stance, and the stance of the House leadership, remains consistent: The five per cent employment quota mandated for public institutions is a national imperative. It is a statutory obligation. We are moving from the era of advocacy to the era of oversight.”
Kalu added that the House Committee on Disability Matters led by Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, has the full backing of the leadership to ensure that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) account for their recruitment practices.
He said that enforcement and oversight alone would not solve this.
According to him, We need systemic change in how businesses recruit, how HR departments screen CVs, and how office infrastructure is designed.
“That is why today’s commitment form is critical. I am calling on every CEO, every HR director, every business owner in this room to sign it. Commit to specific targets. Commit to accessible workplaces. Commit to disability-confident recruitment,” Kalu added.
The Deputy said Nigeria is waiting for the recommendations from the Forum, while assuring that it would be tabled before the House before the end of this legislative session.
Earlier, the Director General of Yar’dua Foundation, Amara Nwakpa said the event was organized to position persons with disabilities as valuable, driven, and also capable within the context of employment in Nigeria.
He said: “And the message is very simple. It’s that we should make more room as organisations. They are not the ones that need to learn. It is us as organisations in Nigeria that need to learn how to be inclusive and to be inclusive with purpose.
“I think now we don’t need to pass any other law. We already have one. What we need to do is to implement the law that we have. Not just the letter of the law, because the law speaks to public organisations specifically, but the spirit of the law.
“I think non-government organisations, as well as private sector organisations need to also follow the intent of the law to make sure that we are encouraging and including persons with disabilities in our workforce.”