PLWDs allege marginalisation in Oyo TESCOM recruitment

Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in Oyo State, yesterday, protested against what they called alleged shortchange in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff by the state’s Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).

The protest, which began in the morning at the Government Secretariat, caused a heavy gridlock along the adjoining routes.

The protesters said that Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration promised them five per cent of the total TESCOM recruitment but the reverse is the case as 149 persons living with disabilities were shortlisted instead of 350.

They also alleged that non-disabled persons were even among the list of the 149 shortlisted by the commission.

But while reacting, the Commission’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Olabisi Oderinde, said that the government was fair to the PLWDs on the recruitment exercise, noting that the grey areas causing misunderstanding would be sorted out.

Oderinde, however, summoned an immediate meeting with leaders of PLWDs in the state and top officials of TESCOM.

MEANWHILE, Oyo State government has suspended the recruitment of persons living with disabilities into the state teaching service and promised to investigate the allegation levelled against the commission by the PLWDs.

Chairman of TESCOM, Akinade Alamu, who disclosed this while addressing the protesters at the state secretariat, promised to deal with those found culpable of manipulating the list.

He further promised to set up a committee to probe the allegation.