The Chairman of the Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, Dr. David Anyaele, has declared that employing persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the civil service is not an act of charity but a recognition of their qualifications, abilities and capacity to contribute meaningfully to society.
Dr. Anyaele made this declaration during an interactive meeting with civil servants with disabilities in Umuahia, Abia State, where he engaged them on issues affecting their welfare, career progression and working conditions.
The meeting focused on concerns surrounding the extension of years of service for civil servants with disabilities, restoration of disability allowances and provision of reasonable workplace accommodations to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
According to the Commission Chairman, the engagement was an opportunity to understand the experiences of workers with disabilities, identify existing gaps and document their concerns for possible policy interventions.
He explained that the Commission was particularly interested in understanding what had worked and the challenges confronting PWDs employed in the Abia State Civil Service, with a view to developing appropriate responses to the issues raised.
Dr. Anyaele further emphasised that the Abia State Disability Law, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provide legal frameworks for protecting the rights of PWDs and ensuring their inclusion and participation in social and economic activities without discrimination.
He attributed the state government’s commitment to disability inclusion to the policies and vision of Governor Alex Otti, noting that the administration had demonstrated concern for the welfare of persons with disabilities.
“The advantage we have is that our Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, cares for the welfare of persons with disabilities. His intention is well documented in his 2023 campaign manifesto and the Transition Council policy recommendation,” he said.
The Commission Chairman added that the governor was committed to introducing deliberate policies and programmes capable of reversing what he described as a long history of unfavourable treatment of retirees, PWDs and other vulnerable groups.
He noted that such interventions were aimed at ensuring that vulnerable citizens had their basic needs met, lived with dignity and retained the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society.
Earlier, the Secretary of the Association of Civil Servants with Disabilities, Mr. Sam Ekeoma, highlighted several institutional, environmental and administrative barriers affecting the performance and productivity of workers with disabilities in the state.
Ekeoma identified inaccessible roads and office environments as major challenges, explaining that they increase transportation costs for PWDs and create additional difficulties in accessing workplaces.
He also expressed concern over workplace discrimination, alleging that some managers fail to assign responsibilities to employees with disabilities because of accessibility barriers within their offices.
The association’s secretary further raised concerns over the non-implementation of statutory salaries, disability allowances and other benefits provided for under existing disability laws.
Clarifying that the situation was largely a result of systemic failure to implement existing provisions rather than deliberate denial, Ekeoma appealed to the Commission to engage the Head of Service and the Local Government Service Commission to ensure that the entitlements of civil servants with disabilities were fully implemented.
The engagement underscores the need for stronger institutional commitment to disability inclusion, particularly in ensuring that legal protections translate into practical improvements in employment conditions, workplace accessibility and the welfare of persons with disabilities.
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