By Udesinanna Stephen
The Disability Not a Barrier Initiative, (DINABI) has called for the formation of Disability Desk Officers in all government establisments as part of efforts to integrate People With Disability (PWD) in the society.
The body made the call on Thursday, in Ado-Ekiti at a one-day training workshop sponsored by Disability Rights Fund (DRF) on “Disability Inclusive Practices” for the Desk Officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.
The Executive Director of DINABI in Ekiti State, Mr Olajide Funso in his opening address, said the workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of the NSCDC Disabilities Desk Officers to relate with PWDs and pioneer their inclusiveness.
Speaking with ROUNDOFFNEWS, he noted that “Despite our huge population we are under represented, we are not recognized. It is only the NSCDC that appointed a member in their office.
“We have been neglected. We have decided to choose NSCDC because they have shown commitment. In fact how many Parastatals have Disability Desk Officers?We call on others to start being inclusive and have desk officers, and if they want to train them we are ready to train them.”
Earlier, the NSCDC Ekiti State Commandant, Agboola Sunday in his address unveiled that the Corps has been supporting PWDs in every means possible and will continue to do so.
The Commandant who was represented by the Assistant Commandant, Olowo Felix addressed the press saying that “The essentials and the fundamentals of the training is to build up officers. It is going to be in stages, and this ones will interact with others in the office to expose them on how to relate with people with Disability. It is not going to end here but a continuous programme.”
The Key Resource person for the workshop, Mr Opayemi Omofolarin noted that PWDs are human and members of the society which deserve respect.
In his words, “Persons with Disability are not looking for sympathy but empathy, we do not need pity, just offer us what is due to us and respect us.”
Also speaking at the workshop is the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kayode Babatuyi, who stated that: “We all have a role to play in the inclusion of persons with disability. We are calling on you to speakout with no sentiment, and I believe that before we leave here today we will be exposed to the supposed knowledge of this training.”
Furthermore, the Special Adviser (SA) on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Hon. Princess Adetoun Agbool, represented by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA )on Social Inclusion to the Ekiti State Governor, Alhaji Suleiman Fattah said that “If there is anything please cry out, if there is any issue or abuse let us know. I don’t understand, the level of single mothers, this is too much we have to cry out, if you fail to talk no body can help you. This government is very caring, responsible and responsive to your cases.”