The Centre for Infrastructural and Technological Advancement for the Blind (CITAB) has commended the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for its recent announcement of a standardized protocol for corps members with disabilities, a move that shines a long overdue spotlight on the needs of so many who have too often been kept in the shadows.
This was stated in a press statement issued in Lagos today by CITAB and signed by its Executive Chairman, Jolomi George Fenemigho.
According to the group, “The adoption of an inclusion protocol by the NYSC is a major leap forward for disability rights in Nigeria. We commend the Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, for reaffirming the NYSC’s commitment to dignity, fairness, and the principle of leaving no one behind. It is heartening to see that the NYSC is not content with paying mere lip service to inclusion, but is finally putting its words into meaningful action.”
Fenemigho continued, “True inclusion goes far beyond ramps and accessible restrooms. For blind and visually impaired corps members, the journey to full participation requires digital ramps, which means systemic provisions of assistive technologies and accessible digital environments. Assigning a blind graduate to a modern office without screen reading software or digital aids is no different from handing them a key to a locked door, and then turning out the lights.”
Addressing the need for genuine access, Fenemigho emphasized, “It is crucial that the NYSC immediately undertakes a thorough digital accessibility audit of its Mobilisation Portal and all ICT systems. This step will ensure that blind and visually impaired users are no longer wandering blindfolded through a digital maze, but can instead independently complete registration and access vital program information just like their sighted counterparts.”
He also stressed the importance of equipping all orientation camps nationwide with assistive technologies. “Provision of essential assistive devices, including laptops with screen readers such as JAWS or NVDA and Refreshable Braille Displays, must be prioritized across every single camp. No one should be left groping in the dark for basic tools when these technologies already exist and can level the playing field.”
On the subject of skills development, Fenemigho said, “The Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program should not confine visually impaired corps members to trades that offer little more than a modest living. Instead, this program must be reformed to include high demand fields like data analytics and digital marketing using accessible learning tools. We cannot afford to box these talented graduates into limited vocational tracks when the digital economy offers so much more.”
Fenemigho concluded by calling for financial support mechanisms to make true inclusion possible. “A dedicated grant in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would ensure that visually impaired corps members can keep pace with their sighted peers and do not find themselves running a race with their shoelaces tied. Equal access to essential tools is the only way to support meaningful and sustainable participation.”
“As we celebrate this historic shift toward inclusion, it is essential for NYSC and its partners to remember that half measures will only leave gaps for people to fall through,” Fenemigho stated. “Lasting inclusion means every corps member, regardless of ability, has the resources, support, and opportunities needed to serve, learn, and contribute; otherwise, we risk building a bridge to the future with more holes than planks. With genuine technological investment and unwavering commitment, Nigeria can make national service a level playing field and truly light the way for all.”
