Federal Govt Promises 5% Jobs For Persons With Disabilities

ABUJA - Federal government has expressed its readiness to implement the law mandating both public and private organisations to allocate five per cent of jobs to people living with disabilities.

Minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja during the 16th anniversary celebration of Kpakpando Foundation with the theme, “5% Employment Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities In Nigeria: Time to Walk the Talk.”

He said the implementation of the policy is another major avenue with which the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was using to achieve greater inclusiveness in government.

He said the service wide circular would be issued to all the ministries and parastatals this week.

Ngige, who received a deafening applause from the gathering of over 1,000 persons with disabilities, said that the government had already mapped out a strategy to ensure that private organisations in the country also implement the policy.

Already, the minister said all the agencies under his ministry have been given clear directives toward its implementation.

Ngige said the federal government was totally committed to making life more meaningful for the less privileged people in the society.

He said the ministry would also support the Kpakpando Foundation in providing materials and cash for persons with disabilities.

The minister praised Senator Osita Izunaso, founder of the Kpakpando Foundation, for his consistency in supporting and funding the wellbeing of persons with disabilities for the past 16 years and urged other Nigerians to emulate him.