By Gabriel Ewepu

AHEAD of May 29 swearing in, Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, Thursday, tasked President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on giving 10 per cent of ministerial and Special Advisers, SAs, appointments to them to form a government of national unity and inclusion.

The Founder, TAF Africa and Convener, Disability Inclusion, Nigeria, Amb Jake Epelle, said this during a ‘Stakeholders’ Strategic Roundtable on ‘Able To Serve’ Campaign’ with theme ‘Disability Inclusion in the Appointment of Cabinet Members: A Call for Inclusive Governance’.

Epelle further stated that there is nothing wrong for Tinubu to appoint PWDs into his cabinet, because they have a major stake in the development of Nigeria as far as they are equal citizens as their physically able-bodied brothers and sisters including qualifications, experience, exposure and expertise.

He emphasized that in the spirit of inclusivity, the appointments will add value and give a sense of belonging to PWDs.

Meanwhile, according to him, the ‘Able to Serve’ was inaugurated by the Foundation and leverages on media advocacy, mentorship and accountability toward inclusion in the governance process at all levels.

He also explained that the strategic roundtable target awareness creation about the importance of PWDs’ appointment into cabinets federal, State and local governments, and to point out the huge but untapped potential, skills and perspectives PWDs possess to impact positively in the decision making process and good governance, hence the agitation for appointments.

He said: “If you take us (PWDs) out of governance, what you are going to run is an exclusive government and exclusive government is not a government of national unity.

“If you truly want to run a government of national unity, then that government should be inclusive of all irrespective of gender, status, religion, whatever that needs to be done so that everyone will sit on the table, which is the way forward.”

The TAF Africa boss also pointed out that PWDs role in national development cannot be over emphasized based on their enormous contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product GDP, including tax payment.

Founder, Center for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment, Chike Okogwu, stressed that it is PWDs have the right to demand for appointments.

“There is an Act prohibiting discrimination against the rights of persons with disabilities.

“It says at least five per cent of persons with disabilities should be given employment, as you are employing your ministers.

“Sir, if it is five per cent minimum but we are saying we want 10 per cent.

“So four of your constitutionally recognised ministers one per state, including the FCT, gives you 3.7 per cent, so four persons in your cabinet must be PWDs, two men and two women

Take me for example, I’m only fiscally impaired, I’m not disabled in any manner and there are lots of us like that.

“So we are bringing capacity, competence, courage and everything that makes us excel.

“You are giving us as a matter of right, but do not look at us only from the prism of disabilities, look beyond what we represent.

“A lot of us are well educated, a lot of us are intellectuals, we have what it takes to do what you want”, he added.

However, he expressed optimism that the president-elect appoint PWDs into his cabinet as he had done while he was Governor of Lagos State, which he established the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, LASODA.