By: Lauretta Fagbohun, Abeokuta.
Persons with disabilities across the South-West have called for the full implementation of disability laws, improved funding and the formulation of a comprehensive national policy to address the challenges confronting PWDs.
The call was made on Saturday at the South-West Zonal Summit of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), held at Mokland Hotel, Oke-Sari, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The summit, themed “Institutionalising Inclusion: Aligning Regional Priorities with the National Disability Agenda,” brought together JONAPWD leaders, government representatives, disability advocates and other stakeholders from across the region to assess progress and identify barriers to the effective inclusion of PWDs in governance and development.
National President of JONAPWD, Comrade Abdullahi Usman Aliyu, said the summit was aimed at finding practical solutions to challenges affecting persons with disabilities, particularly at the grassroots. He urged South-West delegates to strengthen advocacy and deliver tangible improvements ahead of the association’s national convention scheduled for October 2026.
Representatives of the various states highlighted efforts and challenges in implementing disability related policies. While Ekiti and Lagos delegates reported progress in employment and welfare programmes, the Ogun delegation said the association had recently undergone a leadership change and commenced advocacy with the Special Centre for Innovation and Advocacy Network (SCIAN) for the implementation of the state’s disability law.
The Osun delegation disclosed that the state had recorded progress following the approval of its disability rights law on June 24, 2024, and the establishment of the state agency for PWDs on January 1, 2025. It also highlighted the provision of hostel facilities at a special secondary school, allocation of land for PWD related development and deployment of nurses to special schools.
In Ondo State, the representative said four functional special schools were catering for students with visual, hearing, physical and intellectual disabilities, while PWDs in tertiary institutions were benefiting from scholarships and bursaries. However, the state raised concerns over inadequate funding, noting that it could not access the five per cent allocation for disability programmes in 2024.
The keynote speaker, Comrade Gbenga Gbesan, urged the Federal Government to formulate a comprehensive national disability policy that would also engage the private sector. He proposed an annual scientific ranking of states based on their performance in protecting the rights and improving the welfare of PWDs, saying such a system would promote healthy competition and provide measurable evidence of progress.
Gbesan noted that five of the six South-West states had completed processes relating to disability legislation but stressed the need to close gaps in implementation and recognition. He also called for greater unity within JONAPWD to strengthen the association’s ability to advocate effectively for its members.
The South-West Zonal Coordinator of JONAPWD, Rotarian Joseph Bulugbe, appealed to the Ogun State Government to commence full implementation of its disability law, stressing that legislative commitments must translate into tangible benefits. He described the summit as an opportunity to review progress and renew the zone’s commitment to inclusion.
Attention at the summit also shifted to the 2027 general elections, with participants demanding greater political participation and representation of PWDs in governance. The Executive Secretary of the Osun State Bureau for Persons with Disabilities, Rotarian Ayobami Oyewunmi Oyetunde, urged other states to emulate Osun’s inclusion model and ensure that PWDs are adequately represented in political processes.
Representing the Ogun State Commissioner and Permanent Secretary for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Funminiyi assured PWDs of the state government’s continued commitment to improving their welfare. The Executive Director of the Special Initiative for the Specially Abled Persons (SISAP), Barrister Oluwasesan Joseph, also pledged continued support for disability-focused programmes.
The summit resolved to intensify advocacy for the implementation of disability laws, improve funding, strengthen collaboration among disability organisations and demand greater representation of PWDs in governance.
Participants further agreed to make the 2027 elections a major platform for seeking political inclusion and accountability from political parties and candidates.
