By Dickson Omobola
Stakeholders in the digital sector have urged the National Assembly to make laws ensuring the recruitment of competent persons with disabilities, PWDs, into the Nigerian workforce.
The stakeholders include President of Digital Breed Institute, DBI, Mr David Daser, represented by Head of Special Programmes at DBI, Viola Usoro; Country Director of Sightsavers, Dr Joy Shu’aibu; Head of Learning and Development, DBI, Emeka Nzeih.
They spoke at the IT Bridge Academy cohort 2 graduation held in Lagos by DBI and Sightsavers.
Speaking at the event, Usoro called on the Nigerian legislators to enact inclusivity laws, saying it was important for all hands to be on deck in creating a bias-free Nigeria that would make everyone thrive.
She said: “There is a lot of work to be done. It is important for all hands to be on deck to reach this goal. The lawmakers and agencies that can provide funds. Lawmakers should make inclusive laws that make it easy to absorb PWDs with capabilities into the workforce.”
On DBI, she added: “It is very resolute about pushing the concept of inclusivity. Therefore, we partnered with Sightsavers so that we can deliver on our mandate which includes carrying out capacity building. This time, for persons with disabilities.
“It is important for us to equip PWDs with the skills so that they can benefit from the opportunities in Nigeria’s digital economy. The 25 graduates have been on a nine-month journey to acquire these skills. We have made sure that not only do they acquire the skills, but they have globally recognised certifications.”
On her part, Shu’aibu said although Nigeria has a long way to go in ensuring an all-inclusive society, Sightsavers was putting in the work to accomplish it.
She said: “These are baby steps for us as a country, for obvious reasons. But we are very happy that Nigeria has the National Commission for Persons with Disability that is also championing this cause. We are also glad that the private sector is coming together to ensure that their workplaces are inclusive for persons with disabilities.”
On Sightsavers, she said: “It is a 75-year-old international organisation that has been working in Nigeria for 72 years. We have our footprint in two-thirds of this country. What we do is to ensure that nobody goes blind from a cause that can be prevented. But most importantly, that persons with disability, all forms of disability, have equal access to health, education and work, so that they can have a source of livelihood.
“This is not the first step that Sightsavers has taken to ensure that we have an inclusive future and an inclusive society. Like I mentioned, we have been working at this for 72 years in Nigeria. We are focused on inclusive education and ensuring that children with disabilities have basic education.”
Meanwhile, Nzeih said the IT Bridge Academy was a specialised nine-month training programme for PWDs.
He said: “In the programme, we bring in several persons with disabilities. Some are hearing impaired, visually impaired and mobility impaired. At the end of the nine months, they sit for an internationally recognised certificate.”
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