A team from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), comprising the Chairman, Executive Secretary, and the Program Officer, engaged the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation on August 20, 2025, at State House to discuss draft Concept Notes for the proposed training of 1,000 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in digital and entrepreneurial skills.
NCPD Chairman Brima Abdulia Sheriff thanked the directorate for the innovative idea to include PWDs in the digital space. He, however, raised concerns about the potential exclusions of some categories.
The Chairman said inclusion should be a high priority in governance, “there’s nothing for us without us”, he stressed.
Jasper Sembie, DSTI Director and Chief Operating Officer, said the engagement is a fruit of previous discussions his office has had with the Commission and stated that the radical inclusion policy encompasses everything, ensuring that no one will be left behind. He said that since it is a pilot phase, they will ensure that no category is left out; “it’s a learning process and the necessary gaps will be resolved as we roll out the project”, he maintains.
He further assured the Chairman and Team that more modernized and assistive devices are being explored to support, especially those with visual and hearing impairments.
As the conversation continued, it was agreed by both agencies that there is a need for an MOU between the two agencies to foster better cooperation and create an intervention path in the implementation process.