Persons with disabilities in Ogun State have urged the state government to fully implement the Ogun State Disability Law, nearly nine years after it was enacted.
The call was made by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria during a joint press briefing held on Wednesday at the NUJ Hall, Iwe Iroyin House, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
The organisations appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to provide the necessary political direction to ensure that the implementation process is completed before the end of his administration in about eight months.
The Ogun State Disability Law was signed into law by the then governor, Ibikunle Amosun, on December 27, 2017.
However, the disability groups said the law had yet to be fully operationalised, resulting in delays in establishing effective institutions, protections and accessible public systems for persons with disabilities.
The National President of SCIAN, Abdulwahab Matepo, and the Ogun State Chairman of JONAPWD, Ayo Awobona, said the disability community had engaged the government through meetings, letters, consultations and advocacy efforts since 2025, but without the desired outcome.
Matepo said the groups were seeking cooperation with the government rather than confrontation.
He said, “JONAPWD and SCIAN recognise government as an essential partner in achieving disability inclusion. We are therefore not presenting ourselves as opponents of government.
“We are presenting ourselves as partners seeking accountability and implementation. We remain ready to provide technical input, participate in consultations, review proposed amendments, mobilise the disability community and work constructively with government.”
He urged the state government to move beyond discussions and take concrete steps toward implementing the law.
“Partnership must produce results. The disability community has demonstrated patience. We have written letters. We have attended meetings. We have made courtesy visits.
“We have engaged legal experts. We have engaged government officials. We have undertaken public awareness activities. We have participated in consultations. And we have continued to pursue dialogue. The next step should now be action,” Matepo added.
The organisations also advised the government not to allow proposed amendments to the law to stall its implementation.
They called for the existing legislation to be operationalised in line with due legal procedures while any necessary amendments are considered through the appropriate legislative process.
According to them, effective implementation would help address challenges faced by persons with disabilities in education, healthcare, transportation, employment, economic participation and political engagement.
They also called for public institutions to become more accessible and for effective mechanisms to be established to monitor government compliance with disability-related obligations.
The groups said the World Health Organisation estimates that about 16 per cent of the world’s population lives with significant disability.
They also cited a 2025 JONAPWD “Assumptive Data of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria”, which estimated that 1,032,221 persons were living with disabilities in Ogun State, using a 15 per cent benchmark applied to the National Population Commission’s 2025 population projection.
The organisations further appealed to Abiodun to intervene personally and ensure that the relevant government authorities complete the processes required to commence implementation of the law.
They maintained that implementing the existing legislation and considering possible amendments could proceed simultaneously, provided the appropriate legal procedures were followed.
