The Executive Director of Disability is Not a Barrier Initiative (DINABI), Mr. Funso Olajide has commended the Ekiti State Government for recruiting sign language interpreters and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) into strategic Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State.
Mr. Olajide noted that the recruitment was in response to its advocacy to the EKSG under its project on Accessibility of Public Facilities and Services in Ekiti State with funding support from the Disability Rights Fund.
Olajide, in a press statement made available to BONews, shared that DINABI is excited that its project is yielding results as it seeks to advocate for compliance with the National Disability Act in Nigeria and the Ekiti State Disability Law by realizing the rights of persons with disabilities to access public facilities and services on an equal basis with others.
“There’s no doubt that this development will enhance the livelihood of persons with hearing impairment in our society as they will now have access to timely information on EKTV, access to quality healthcare services and other services rendered where the interpreters will be deployed to,” the DINABI ED added.
While presenting the employment letters to six sign language interpreters and three other PWDs, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Communication, Mrs. Mary Oso-Omotoso emphasized the readiness of the Oyebanji-led administration to run an inclusive government devoid of discrimination, exclusion and harassment.
She stated that PWDs are also part of the larger society, therefore every effort to make life comfortable for them must be put in place.
Also, the Executive Secretary of Ekiti State Office for Disability Affairs (EKSODA0, Mr.s Funmilayo Fatoba, charged the newly employed interpreters to justify the confidence reposed in them by putting in extra efforts in order to ensure timely and effective communication is provided to those in need of their services.
The Ekiti State Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Owolabi Kayode expressed his appreciation to the governor for the gesture, which according to him will make communication easy for members of the disability community in the state.