In a move aimed at tackling workplace discrimination against Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has joined forces with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to drive an advocacy campaign for inclusivity across Nigeria’s media industry.
Speaking on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the NUJ FCT Council Committee on Disability to his office in Abuja, Abba Isa pledged to champion full enforcement of the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, while strengthening collaboration with the media to highlight the contributions and challenges of PWDs.
“Without the media, our voices cannot be amplified; and when our voices are not amplified, they cannot be heard. Through your platforms, we can highlight the challenges faced by PWDs as well as showcase their talents, innovations, and contributions to national development,” Isa said.
The presidential aide revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the formation of a Presidential Implementation Taskforce to drive compliance with the Disability Act and assured that members of the NUJ FCT Committee on Disability would be co-opted into the initiative.
Leading the delegation, NUJ FCT Council Secretary, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, who represented the Chairperson, Ms. Grace Eke, described the visit as “strategic and significant,” stressing that the media has a vital role in shaping an inclusive society.
“The media’s role goes beyond informing and educating—it is about advocating for justice, fairness, and inclusivity. A Nigeria that provides equal opportunity for all is a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous nation,” Oyekunle declared.
He pledged that the NUJ FCT Council would use its print, broadcast, and digital platforms to amplify the voices of PWDs, challenge stereotypes, and promote policies that guarantee their inclusion.
On his part, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Disability Committee, Comrade Kehinde Akintola, lamented the high level of discrimination against journalists with disabilities, noting that most media houses have yet to comply with the provisions of the Disability Act despite the expiration of the five-year grace period for compliance.
Akintola called on the SSA to establish a Presidential Taskforce to enforce compliance and advocated for skill acquisition support, provision of assistive devices, and opportunities for journalists with disabilities in para-sports.
Commending the leadership of Ms. Grace Eke for establishing the Disability Committee—the first of its kind in Nigeria’s media industry—Isa described the initiative as “a bold step toward inclusion,” assuring that his office would remain open to partnerships aimed at creating safe, accessible, and disability-friendly workplaces.
“With the media as a partner, we can advance inclusive development and build a society where no one is left behind,” he concluded.
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