Persons Living With Disabilities, PWDs, in Ogun State have demanded the immediate creation and activation of a State Disability Commission.
They made the call at a press conference organised by leaders of various disability clusters, held at the NUJ Secretariat, Iwe-Iroyin, Abeokuta, on Tuesday.
Speaking on behalf of the Ogun State Disability Community, Abdulwahab Matepo, the Interim National President of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), lamented that they had endured several years of exclusion and neglect due to government inaction.
Matepo, while stressing that the Commission must be funded, staffed and operationalised, also called for the inclusion of a dedicated budget line for Disability Affairs in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He noted that despite a comprehensive review workshop held in January 2025, where experts highlighted major gaps in the 2017 law, including the absence of a disability agency and unrealistic provisions such as mandatory minimum wage payments to all PWDs, the government had yet to make amendments or adopt the recommendations.
He said, “As we look forward to the last full year of this administration, we present FOUR non-negotiable demands to the Government of Ogun State:
“Urgent re-enactment and gazetting of the Disability Law: The amendments agreed upon in the multi-stakeholder workshop must be adopted to ensure the law is relevant, implementable, realistic, and aligned with national and global standards, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the African Disability Protocol.
“Immediate establishment and activation of the Ogun State Disability Commission: Without a functional Commission, every other promise is empty. This Commission must be legally constituted, funded, staffed, and operationalised.
“Inclusion of a dedicated budget line for Disability Affairs in the 2026 Appropriation Bill: Without funding, disability inclusion will remain rhetoric. PWDs deserve a clear, visible and protected budget.
“Practical enforcement of accessibility standards and compliance across public facilities: All ministries, LGAs, new constructions and renovated buildings must meet accessibility requirements. Accessibility is dignity; it is not optional.”
They maintained that all they are asking for is their right, justice, respect and inclusion, not sympathy, tokenism or charity and expressed hope that their demands would be met, urging Governor Dapo Abiodun to become the first Ogun State Governor to fully implement disability rights, not on paper, but in reality.
