SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has proposed a legislation which seeks to provide 20 per cent of jobs available across federal ministries, departments and gencies (MDAs) for physically challenged Nigerians.
According to Eze Duruiheoma, Chairman, National Population Commission of Nigeria (NPC) no fewer than 19 million Nigerians are living with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the World Bank report estimated that one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world’s population, experience some form of disabilities and the prevalence is higher for developing countries.
As defined by the bill, physically challenged persons include: ‘a blind person, amputee, deaf and/or dumb, any person whose limb(s) have not been amputated but is unable to walk easily and freely having been affected by polio or any other cause.
It however disqualified the ‘dwarf’ or ‘midget’ from being categorised as physically challenged.
As stipulated in section 2(1) of the bill , “upon the commencement of this Act, all federal government MDAS and companies shall submit yearly reports not later than the first quarter of every year to the National Assembly containing details of all employments including details of the physically challenged persons employed in the previous year.”
Section 2(2) also provides that the National Assembly shall within three weeks of the receipt of the reports of the MDAS and companies consider same and if not satisfied with the reports, pass appropriate resolutions that will ensure full compliance with the provisions of the Act and such resolution(s) shall be implemented by the president.
“In giving effect to the provisions of the Act, all MDAs and companies to which the Act apply, shall provide relevant facilities to ease ingress and egress of the physically challenged in the workplace.”
The bill however provides that “no physically challenged persons shall be employed unless such person possesses the minimum qualification for the job in the relevant MDAS and companies.
As proposed by Hon. Gbajabiamila, Section 6 of the bill provides that the legislation shall be in force for 10 years after which it will be reviewed by the National Assembly.
In the bid to ensure compliance, Section 7 of the bill provides for fine of N500,000 or one year imprisonment or both, for any person who performs any act or does anything or refuses, fails and or neglected to carry out his lawful duties with the intention to frustrate the implementation of the legislation, upon conviction.
and then