By Christiana Ekpa
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has declared that shutting out Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from Nigeria’s workforce is not just a human rights violation—it is economic sabotage.
Speaking in Abuja at a Policy Forum on Advancing Workplace Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities, organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Speaker, the Australian Embassy and others, Kalu said Nigeria cannot grow its economy while sidelining millions of capable citizens.
He stressed that the statutory 5% employment quota for PWDs in public institutions is non-negotiable, adding that the House Committee on Disability Matters has the full mandate to demand accountability from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“The 10th House sees disability exclusion as economic sabotage,” Kalu said. “We cannot build GDP while locking out millions of valuable, driven citizens.”
He slammed the poor enforcement of existing laws and challenged CEOs, HR leaders and business owners to move beyond rhetoric and redesign recruitment practices, workplace structures and corporate culture to favour inclusion
“Inclusion goes beyond ramps,” he noted. “It requires HR systems that search for ability—not screen for disability—and workplaces that embrace digital accessibility and reasonable accommodation.”
Kalu hailed the organisers of the forum but insisted that dialogue must translate into measurable results.
“Let the next report on workplace inclusion be filled with breakthroughs, not barriers,” he charged, assuring full legislative backing to drive disability inclusion nationwide.
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