Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
Innovation Hub, a technology start-up, has targeted three million people living with disability to train in digital skills.
Joe Okei-Odumakin, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Innovation Hub, explained that the Hub will equip People living With Disabilities (PWD) with digital skills to position them for employment opportunities.
She made this disclosure at the launch of the Innovation Hub on Wednesday in Lagos. Okei-Odumakin said that the initiative will keep track of the implementation of the PWDs Bill recently signed into law and ensure that it lives up to expectations.
“By the next five years, we would have been able to reach three (3) million Persons With Disabilities because a lot of them are unemployed and so they cannot live in decent places,” she said.
“The Hub will be enlightening PWDs on digital skills for positioning in possible employment opportunities.
“Like the FollowDisACT Campaign, it is a campaign aimed at nurturing, driving and tracking implementation of Persons With Disabilities (PWD) Bill.
“This journey started five years ago. It is the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa by extension. If we are not tracking the process, it will be jeopardized and the long struggle for this will end in futility.
“More than 80 percent living with disabilities the found in developing countries like Nigeria due to poverty” Okei-Odumakin said.
Speaking at the launch, Director of Projects, Projects_enable, Mr Olusola Owonikoko, noted that disability should not induce poverty.
“Our target is focused on educating the public on the bill. It has a five-year implementation period. We will be having a PWD desk. We will be providing support to corporate organisations who are looking for inclusion, ” Owonikoko said.