ABEOKUTA — The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN) have appealed to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to fully implement the state’s Disability Law before the expiration of his tenure in eight months.
The organisations made the call on Wednesday during a joint press briefing held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iwe Iroyin House, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, where they expressed concern over the prolonged delay in translating the law into concrete protections, institutions and programmes for persons with disabilities.
The Ogun State Disability Law was signed into law by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun on December 27, 2017. However, nearly nine years after its enactment, the groups said the law is yet to be fully operationalised.
Speaking at the briefing, SCIAN National President, Abdulwahab Matepo, and JONAPWD Ogun State Chairman, Ayo Awobona, said persons with disabilities had waited long enough for the law to move from the pages of legislation into practical action.
“A law passed to protect the rights of persons with disabilities must not remain a law on paper. It must become a law in action,” they said.
‘The Time for Action Is Now’
The disability organisations disclosed that they had engaged the Ogun State Government through meetings, consultations, letters, courtesy visits and media advocacy since 2025, but said those efforts had yet to produce the concrete outcome they were seeking.
According to the groups, their campaign is not intended to confront or antagonise the government, but to ensure that existing commitments are translated into measurable action.
They also warned that discussions about possible amendments to the disability law should not become a reason for further delaying its implementation.
The groups argued that the government could begin operationalising the existing law in accordance with legal procedures while simultaneously pursuing any necessary amendments through the state legislature.
Non-Implementation Affecting Education, Jobs, Healthcare
The organisations lamented that the prolonged non-implementation of the law has consequences across several areas of life, including education, healthcare, transportation, employment, economic participation and political engagement.
They said effective implementation would provide a stronger institutional framework for addressing barriers faced by persons with disabilities and advancing their rights and participation in Ogun State.
The groups cited 2025 JONAPWD data, which estimated that about 1,032,221 persons with disabilities live in Ogun State. The estimate, they explained, was based on a 15 per cent benchmark of the National Population Commission’s projection, compared with the World Health Organisation’s global estimate of 16 per cent.
SCIAN: ‘We Have Demonstrated Patience’
Matepo said the disability community remained willing to work with the state government by providing technical expertise, engaging relevant institutions and mobilising its members to support implementation.
However, he stressed that continued engagement must ultimately lead to tangible results.
“We have demonstrated patience. We have written letters, attended meetings, made courtesy visits and engaged legal experts. The next step should now be action,” Matepo said.
He appealed directly to Governor Abiodun to provide the political direction required to conclude the implementation process before the end of his administration.
“We respectfully call on His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to provide the necessary political direction to ensure that the process of implementing the disability law is concluded before the expiration of his term.”
2027 Elections: JONAPWD Demands Disability Commitments
Awobona also shifted attention to the 2027 elections, calling on political parties and governorship candidates to make disability inclusion a clear component of their political agendas.
He urged candidates to publicly commit to implementing the Ogun State Disability Law and to engage persons with disabilities directly in discussions about governance, policy and development.
“Our advocacy is not partisan,” Awobona said.
He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 elections are fully accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities.
According to him, this should include accessible polling units, accessible voting materials and appropriate assistance for voters who require it.
A Law Must Translate Into Rights
For JONAPWD and SCIAN, the central issue is no longer whether Ogun State has legislation protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, but whether the existing legal framework will be translated into functioning institutions, enforceable protections and meaningful opportunities.
With the groups urging the governor to act before the expiration of his tenure, the spotlight is now firmly on the Ogun State Government to demonstrate how far it is prepared to go in turning the state’s disability legislation into practical reality.
