The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita has said that the Federal Government is set to develop a comprehensive policy and implementation guideline geared towards addressing the challenges of Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs), their welfare and work environment in the Civil Service.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation stated this in her address at the launch of the Baseline Survey of Persons Living with Disabilities in the Federal Service by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The launch is part of activities to mark the 2018 International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The event was held in Abuja on Monday, 3rd December, 2018.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita said that the survey, which is the beginning of policy development process,will provide data that will give government better understanding the challenges that are peculiar to PWDs and fine-tune ways of addressing them.
“The Survey is expected to provide disaggregated data of PWDs in the Federal Civil Service in order to enhance a better understanding of the issues and challenges faced by this category of employees in order to enable the Service Welfare Office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, design programmes to tackle such challenges,” she emphasized.
The Head of the Civil; Service disclosed that the survey is being done by the Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in collaboration with the Albino Foundation. She said the survey will be conducted in the core Ministries and Extra Ministerial Departments within the Federal Capital Territory as a pilot project.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack assured that the outcome of the baseline survey of Persons Living With Disabilities will help in promoting inclusion in the Federal Civil Services’ policies, practices and procedures that will translate to a positive impact on the welfare of PWDs in the Service.
Also speaking, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, represented by Mrs. Jummai Mohammed commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for the proposed survey for Persons with Disabilities. She said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has reeled out programmes that will alleviate the barriers being faced by the disabled in the Service.
The Chairman of Federal Civil Service Commission, represented by Dr. Adunze Chima’obi, said that the Federal Government will continue to seek ways to improve the welfare of PWDs, particularly through the waiver policy which has given numerous persons with disabilities opportunities to work in the Federal Civil Service.
In his goodwill message, the Senior Assistant to the President on Persons With Disabilities, Dr. Samuel Ankeli said President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to the improvement of the welfare of Persons With Disabilities. He added that the plans for upward review of the quota for waiver of employment opportunities for persons living with disabilities is in the pipeline; adding that he is partnering with the National Assembly and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to bring it to reality.
Dewan Nengak Goshit
For: Director (Communications)
