CSOs, Stakeholders Urge Ekiti Govt To Restore Employment Quota Of PWDs

Ekiti State government has been urged to look into the claim by Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) that their employment slots into the civil service have been reduced from 30 to 12.

Speaking with the LEADERSHIP Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the executive director of the New Generation Girls and Women Development (NIGWD), Mrs Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, said the allegation is weighty and needs to be investigated by the government.

Mrs Aladejare-Salako said, “Government should engage the PWDs in a dialogue to know exactly where the problem lies.

“And if it was indeed a promise made by the government not implemented, effort should be made to fulfill it. It is one thing to make a promise, it is another thing entirely to make it happen.

“It must be investigated by the government and necessary action must be taken to do the right thing.”

A retired civil servant, who is a member of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in the state, Mr Lanre Olajide, said such an allegation is unacceptable if it actually happened.
Olajide said the government needs to urgently act on it because of the category of the people that are involved.

He said, “We all know the plight of the PWDs. We depend not only on the government but everyone around us for help and assistance. The employment quota due to our people must be given to them.

“They have wives, husbands, children and families to take care of like anyone else. In fact special consideration should be given to them whenever government and private establishments are recruiting workers. So, the claim must be thoroughly investigated and succour given to our people.”

Some Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the state had last Monday staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, against the cut in employment slots promised to them by the state government.

The protesters, comprising members of different clusters of PWDs, said Governor Biodun Oyebanji had earlier promised them 30 employment slots as part of his inclusion agenda, but the offices saddled with the implementation allegedly reduced the number to 12.

Addressing newsmen, the chairman of Nigeria Association of the Blind in Ekiti State, Mr Ariyo Tope said such action was unjust and a betrayal of the government promise not to leave no one behind.

Tope, who acknowledged the generosity and the promise keeping spirit of Governor Oyebanji, accused the ministries and offices responsible for the implementation of denying them of the democratic dividends.

He appealed to Governor Oyebanji to intervene directly and call the Ministry to order, insisting that 12 slots were grossly inadequate to cater for thousands of qualified PWDs across the state.

“We are suffering. Even the 30 slots are not enough but we are calling on Governor Oyebanji to come to our aid so that we can get our 30 slots back,” he said.\