FG 2020 Recruitment: NGO, NBA Protest ‘Discrimination’ Against Stammerers

A non-governmental organization, Stammer Foundation, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have kicked against alleged discrimination against stammerers in the ongoing recruitment into paramilitary institutions by the Federal Ministry of Interior.

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Correctional Services Board (CDFIPB) was said to have listed among other guidelines for its 2020 recruitment into those agencies that citizens who stammer or have “gross malformation of teeth” would not be eligible to participate in the exercise.

But reacting in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER on Tuesday, Stammer Foundation and the Abuja chapter of the NBA said they, “unequivocally condemn this glaring discrimination against people that Stammer in Nigeria.”

In the statement signed by Juliana Owajimam Oboh for Stammer Foundation and Folarin Aluko for the NBA, both organizations gave a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to review the guidelines to accommodate stammerers in the recruitment process.

They said, “We take this opportunity to call for an urgent review of the eligibility criteria, a publication of an inclusive list and a statement of apology to people who stammer for an unwarranted exclusion and discrimination.

“As a community of people that stammer and the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja Branch, we will continue to create awareness and advocate against blatant discriminatory and non inclusive sentiments, comments and practices in Government, private organizations, schools and families alike. We would also keep creating awareness to transform negative attitudes and sentiments that end up causing division, segregation and an unacceptable negative culture towards people that stammer.

“We reiterate the importance of inclusion and non discrimination of people who stammer in recruitments exercises both by the Government and private organizations. We therefore call for the immediate activation of our Fundamental Human Right as stated in Chapter 4, Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria i.e Right to Freedom from Discrimination, we demand fairness and access to honest livelihood for people who stammer,” read the statement.