Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) in Ogun State have forcefully demanded the prompt creation and activation of a dedicated State Disability Commission.
This call was made during a press conference organized by leaders representing various disability clusters, held on Tuesday, the 9th of December, 2025, at the NUJ Secretariat, Iwe-Iroyin, Abeokuta.
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 the long-standing challenges faced by the community, citing years of “exclusion and neglect due to government inaction.”
Matepo stressed the necessity for the Commission to be properly “funded, staffed and operationalised.” He also specifically requested the allocation of a dedicated budget line for Disability Affairs within the forthcoming 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He noted that although a comprehensive review workshop was held in January 2025 where experts identified significant deficiencies in the 2017 law including the lack of a disability agency and “unrealistic provisions such as mandatory minimum wage payments to all PWDs” the government has yet to implement the recommended amendments or adopt the suggestions.
Matepo then presented the community’s urgent priorities to the government:
“As we look forward to the last full year of this administration, we present FOUR non-negotiable demands to the Government of Ogun State:
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“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.”
The PWD leaders maintained that their core focus is on securing “their right, justice, respect and inclusion, not sympathy, tokenism or charity.” They expressed optimism that their demands will be met, urging Governor Dapo Abiodun to establish a legacy as the first Ogun State Governor to fully implement disability rights, not merely “on paper, but in reality.”