The Bauchi State Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) have urged the Bauchi State Government to provide at least 5% employment slot to Persons with Disabilities and adequate political representation in the state.
This was contained in a list of demands made by JONAPWD Bauchi State Chapter on Tuesday in commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disability 2023.
The Chairman Bauchi JONAPWD Bulus Sama’ila Zuya urged the state government to consider the employment of Persons with Disabilities to reduce the menace of street begging and other social issues in compliance with Section 29 of the discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.
He said that the section of the discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 provides that “All employers of labour in public organizations shall, as much as possible, have Persons with Disabilities constituting at least 5% of their employment.
According to him the Bauchi State Government has not met the fulfillment thresholds.
He also said “Women and Youth were adequately represented in the Bauchi State Executive council as Commissioners with the exclusion of Persons with Disabilities. As a matter of appeal for the Fundamental rights, JONAPWD respectfully calls on Governor Bala Mohammed to consider the appointment of a qualified and competent Person with Disability as a Special Adviser to His Excellency on Disability Matters”
He appeals to the state Government to review through legislation, the Bauchi State Agency for Persons With Disabilities establishment law 2010 by exclusively appointing Person With Disability as the Executive Secretary of the Agency and non permanent Board members to reduce the frequent misunderstanding and conflict of interest in running the affairs of the Agency.