The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has condemned in strong terms the brazen and wilful discrimination against persons with disabilities with impunity by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) through its Recruitment advert of July 13, 2021.
In a press statement signed by its Executive Director, David Anyaele, CCD noted that “the Corp explicitly prohibits persons with different forms of disability from applying to serve in their institution.
“FRSC recruitment requirements state that applicants with 14 types of disabilities need not apply. Thereby discriminating against eligible citizens with disabilities from applying for the recruitment.”
CCD reiterated that “the prohibition of persons with disabilities from applying for FRSC job is a clear violation of the sections 28 (1) and (29) of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, which provides that a persona with disability have the right to work on an equal basis with others and this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work open environment.
“(29) All employers of labour in public organisations shall, as much as possible, have persons with disabilities constituting at least 5% of their employment.”
CCD further mentioned that this violation of the rights of persons with disabilities by the Federal Road Safety Commission is a total disregard of President Mohammadu Buhari’s directive in his 2020 June 12 National Broadcast in which he clearly stated as follows “The commitment of this Administration to the well-being of people living with disabilities remains unwavering.
“The government recognizes their contributions to development. I have directed that all relevant Government agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of persons with disabilities in the formulation and implementation of their policies and programmes, and where suitable their employment”.
The Organisation noted that “The discriminatory advert by Federal Road Safety Commission against Nigerians with disabilities is a confirmation that it is State institutions that are key drivers of discrimination against persons with disabilities.”
CCD thereafter demanded that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) pull down the advert to apologise to more than 31 million people with disabilities in Nigeria.
CCD also demands that FRSC replaces the advert with a note stating that FRSC is an organisation that promotes equal opportunity; as such, women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
The organisation further reiterated that ” we would be monitoring the compliance to these demands and full implementation of the National Disability Act by FRSC, as failure which would compel us to approach a court of competent jurisdiction for the protection of the right of persons with disabilities to employment in FRSC.
The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is a not-for-profit making and foremost human rights organization of and for persons with disabilities that works to promote inclusion, participation, access, and the mainstreaming of issues of critical concern of citizens with disabilities in the programmes and activities of state and non-state institutions.