Persons living with disabilities lay siege at Federal Civil Service Commission

The Association of Physically Challenged Applicants and Workers on Tuesday, locked members of staff and commissioners of Federal Civil Service Commission out, in protest over non-recruitment of members.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the persons living with disabilities, who came along with their luggage, blocked the gate and prevented workers from entering and leaving the commission.
President of the association, God’s-Time Onyegbulam, said they were at the commission to protest their non-inclusion in the ongoing recruitment.
Onyegbulam said they were Nigerians too and so must be given opportunity to work in the Federal Civil Service.
He explained that he had been meeting with some commissioners and chairman of the commission, Dr Bello Ingawa, on behalf of his members over employment, but nothing had been done.
He said: “We have come here more than six times, the chairman at one time directed us to go to the office of Head of Service to get a waiver. On reaching there, we were sent back to the commission again.
“They have excluded us, we the physically challenged persons, as if we are not Nigerians or human beings, all of us here are graduates, having certificates in different disciplines, some are even Master’s Degree holders.
“There was a time we were asked to collect forms and that some of us will be considered for jobs, and nothing has happened since then.
“We came from different states with our personal belongings and we arrived here 9.00 am today.
“We shall remain here, until the chairman comes out to address our problem.’’
James Sule, the Director, Recruitment and Appointment at the commission, who addressed the protesters, assured them that their issue would be looked into.
Sule said the action taken by physically challenged persons would not go unnoticed and pleaded with them to leave the entrance of the commission.
NAN reports that at the time of filing this report, the protesters are still blocking the commission’s entrance, insisting on seeing Ingawa before vacating the place.