Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Ogun on Wednesday appealed to Gov. Dapo Abiodun to fully implement the disability law before leaving office in 2027.
NAN reports that the appeal was jointly made at a news conference in Abeokuta by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN).
Interim National President of SCIAN, Mr Abdulwahab Matepo, said the Disability Law, signed by former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun on Dec. 27, 2017, remains largely unimplemented.
Matepo said the disability community had engaged the state government, House of Assembly, Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders, seeking implementation and necessary amendments.
He said the groups submitted proposed amendments after reviewing the law with legal and disability development experts, following concerns raised by government over some provisions.
According to Matepo, despite repeated letters and meetings with government officials, including the Head of Service and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, no progress has been made on implementation.
He said the World Health Organisation estimated that about 16 per cent of the global population lived with disabilities, while JONAPWD estimated 1,032,221 persons with disabilities in Ogun.
Chairman of JONAPWD, Ogun Chapter, Mr Ayo Agbaje, said implementation was necessary to ensure access to education, healthcare, transportation, employment, political participation and protection against discrimination.
Agbaje said disability rights were human rights and urged government to operationalise the existing law while pursuing any necessary amendments through the appropriate legislative process.
“We are appealing to Gov. Dapo Abiodun to provide political direction to conclude the implementation process before the expiration of his tenure in 2027.
“We are also using this opportunity to call on political parties and governorship candidates ahead of the 2027 election to include disability issues in their programmes.
“It is also important to ensure accessible electoral processes for persons with disabilities”.
