He was speaking during a stakeholders’ disability awareness-raising event organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy on Thursday 13th December, 2018. The event took place at Family Kingdom, Aberdeen in Freetown.
He further disclosed that they are developing disability inclusion policies for staff and members of parliament because they currently have disable staff working in the parliament.
“Parliament is developing a policy and we are going to champion it and sensitize our people,” Hon. Bhendu said; adding that they are currently driving disability issues in parliament.
In an exclusive interview, Country Representative for Westminster Foundation for Democracy Mohamed Alpha Jalloh stated that the rationale behind the event is to continue raising awareness on disability issues by targeting key stakeholders including decision-makers, because issues of disabilities are very topical and therefore, it is good that decisions affecting disable persons are thoroughly discussed before parliament takes action.
He added that disability and development go side by side and that therefore, as key stakeholders, disable persons must understand the critical issues and how it relates to their condition.
Mr. Jalloh further stated that his institution will be using various strategies to achieve their aims.
He added that with assistance from Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy, they have worked with the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues to continue raising awareness and by advocating to one of the critical stakeholders – Parliament to take action on disability issues.
According to Mr. Jalloh, together with other stakeholders hey have are committed to initiate policies to ensure that disable persons have easy access to parliament building among other things disable persons are demanding.
He mentioned that the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs is already leading by example by constructing a ramp into the ministry.
Mrs.Williana Davies representing Bank of Sierra Leone at the event informed her audience that the Bank employs five disable persons with one of them pursuing a law degree in university.
