LASODA seeks greater inclusion, diversity in Lagos public service training curriculum
The General Manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal has urged the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC) to incorporate inclusion and diversity into their training curriculum to ensure discussions around disabilities become a top priority in all aspects of society.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Centre in Magodo, Lagos, Oyetunde-Lawal emphasised the importance of educating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on the significance of inclusion, stating that the topic of inclusion must start with government offices and gradually spread across Lagos State and beyond.
“It is not news that the Lagos State Government is committed to ensuring that Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) are fully integrated into society, where everyone is prioritized, and no one is left behind. Lagos has the highest number of people with disabilities in the state civil service, and we are focused on making room for more PWDs who are qualified, educated, and certified for the job while enhancing their contributions to the development of the State.
“Recently, the Agency provided some civil servants with disabilities work tools, including laptops with speech-assisted software (Freedom Scientific Version 2024) for visually impaired persons, callipers, and motorized wheelchairs, to enhance their productivity while sending a message that PWDs can effectively contribute to the organisation when empowered”, she added.
The General Manager also commended the Public Service Staff Development Centre for installing ramps to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, noting that the initiative demonstrates the Centre’s commitment to addressing the needs of the disability community.
Welcoming the LASODA team to the Centre, the Director-General of PSSDC, Mr. Adekunmilola Adio-Moses, revealed that a new department had been established to promote inclusion, adding ” The department will be responsible for ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into the Centre’s training programmes”.
He promised to partner with the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) by assigning the Department Head and another Director work closely with the LASODA team to develop a comprehensive and effective curriculum on disability concerns.
The Director of Learning and Development at the Centre, Mr. Femi Solaja, also assured the team that inclusion is promoted at all levels. He explained that the Centre ensures every participant’s needs are met by providing sign language instructors when necessary to accommodate the hearing-impaired and relocating training sessions to ground-floor facilities where appropriate to support individuals with mobility challenges.
