The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Hon. Ayuba Gufwan, has appealed to MTN Nigeria for support in providing mobility aids and educational scholarships for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the country.
During a visit to MTN headquarters in Lagos, Gufwan noted the fundamental importance of mobility for PWDs to access opportunities.
“Seek ye first mobility, and every other thing shall be added unto you. Mobility is the foundation of independence for Persons with Disabilities. Without it, access to education, employment, and economic opportunities remains a challenge,” he said.
The Executive Secretary expressed concern over insufficient budgetary allocations to the commission, noting that current funding cannot adequately address the needs of Nigeria’s estimated 35.5 million PWDs.
He called for increased collaboration between corporate organizations and the commission to enhance inclusion nationwide.
Gufwan further commended MTN for implementing disability-friendly infrastructure and urged other organizations to adopt similar accessibility measures in their facilities.
Responding to the appeal, MTN’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Mrs. Esther Akinnukawe, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
She outlined MTN’s four core inclusion pillars: gender balance, disability inclusion, age representation, and ethnic representation.
Akinnukawe described MTN’s existing partnership with Sightsavers to train PWDs at the IT Bridge Academy, which provides digital and employability skills.
She assured that the company would explore opportunities for sponsorship and mobility aid provision across the country.
DDrAdebayo Adebukola, Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, equally emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive national database of PWDs across all 774 local government areas.
According to Dr. Adebukola, such a database would improve coordination of support programs including career fairs, employment placements, and social welfare initiatives.
NCPWD Boss Seeks MTN Support for Disability Programs, Laments Low Budgetary Allocation.
