By Damilola Samuel
Persons with disabilities in Ogun State have asked Governor Dapo Abiodun to ensure that the state’s disability law becomes fully operational before his administration ends in May 2027.
The demand was made on Wednesday by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Ogun State chapter, and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN) during a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, Iwe-Iroyin, Abeokuta.
The groups said years of delay have left persons with disabilities still facing barriers in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, transportation, public infrastructure and political participation.
National President of SCIAN, Abdulwahab Matepo, and JONAPWD Ogun State Chairman, Ayo Awobona, said the campaign was aimed at getting the government to move beyond assurances and take practical steps towards implementation.
“Our objective is not confrontation with the Ogun State Government. Our objective is implementation,” they said.
The Ogun State Disability Law was signed in December 2017 by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun after its passage by the State House of Assembly.
Previous disability advocacy efforts in the state have also focused on making the law operational and establishing an effective institutional structure for disability affairs.
The groups put the estimated number of persons with disabilities in Ogun at about 1,032,221, saying the figure represented a large population whose access to basic services and opportunities should be protected. The estimate has also been described by JONAPWD as a projection rather than a census figure.
They argued that disability inclusion should be treated as a rights issue rather than an act of charity.
“Persons with disabilities are not asking government for charity. We are asking for rights, dignity, equality, accessibility, participation and inclusion,” they said.
The organisations also want persons with disabilities to have a meaningful role in developing policies that affect them, insisting that decisions on disability should not be made without the participation of the people directly affected.
They further appealed to political parties and governorship candidates in Ogun to make disability inclusion part of their policy commitments ahead of the 2027 election.
The groups also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 electoral process is accessible to persons with disabilities, including through suitable polling locations, voting materials and assistance where necessary.
“Our advocacy is not partisan. We seek commitments, policies and action from whoever receives the mandate to govern Ogun State,” they said.
The organisations urged Governor Abiodun to make the implementation of the law one of the lasting legacies of his administration.
“Sir, before you leave office, kindly give the people of Ogun State a fully implemented Disability Law,” they said.
They added that the consequences of exclusion extend beyond persons with disabilities, as inaccessible schools, hospitals and transportation systems also affect families, workers, students and communities.
