The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities has intensified efforts to promote disability inclusion in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities through a two-day advocacy and capacity-building workshop held in Ondo State under its Ending Barriers Against Niger-Deltans with Disabilities (EBAND) project.
The workshop brought together persons with disabilities (PWDs) from oil-producing communities, government representatives, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and media practitioners to strengthen advocacy skills and promote the inclusion of PWDs in the benefit-sharing and governance structures established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Delivering the welcome remarks on behalf of CCD’s Founding Executive Director, David Obinna Anyaele, and the Acting Director, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, Mrs. Florence Austin stressed the need to ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from governance and development opportunities in the Niger Delta region. She noted that despite the region’s immense contribution to Nigeria’s economy, many PWDs remain marginalized from decision-making and community development processes.
Austin emphasized that disability inclusion is a matter of human rights rather than charity, referencing the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as key legal frameworks supporting inclusion.
She also provided participants with an overview of CCD’s history and mandate, explaining that the organization was established in 2002 following the experiences of its founder during the Sierra Leone civil war. According to her, CCD initially focused on supporting amputees through the Amputation Rehabilitation Centre before expanding its work to advance the rights and inclusion of all persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Speaking during the event, the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Ondo State, Comrade Abiodun Samuel Olusegun, commended CCD for organizing the workshop and educating participants on their rights under the PIA. He observed that although the law regulates oil-related matters in host communities, it lacks adequate provisions for persons with disabilities.
Olusegun expressed optimism that provisions similar to those contained in the Disability Act, including the five per cent employment quota for PWDs, would eventually be integrated into the PIA framework to guarantee greater inclusion.
In her goodwill message, Princess Arise Folasade Comfort, Board Chairman of the Ondo State Disability Commission, described CCD as her “first home,” while acknowledging the organisation’s contributions to her personal and professional growth. She praised Anyaele for his longstanding commitment to disability advocacy and commended CCD for consistently implementing impactful and inclusive programmes in Ondo State.
The first day of the workshop focused on understanding the vulnerabilities of PWDs within the Niger Delta environment, the effects of oil exploration on host communities, disability rights, and an overview of the Petroleum Industry Act. Participants were introduced to the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) structures and the existing gaps that exclude PWDs from governance and benefit-sharing processes.
Discussions highlighted the importance of understanding legal rights, resisting discrimination, participating in community governance, and deploying advocacy as a tool for inclusion. Participants also shared experiences relating to environmental pollution, communication barriers, poor access to information, and exclusion from leadership structures within their communities.
The second day centered on advocacy strategies, inclusive governance, and practical pathways for integrating disability concerns into PIA structures. Sessions addressed advocacy planning, stakeholder mapping, leadership development, inclusive budgeting, and strategies for ensuring disability inclusion in community development plans and budgets.
Through role-play exercises and interactive discussions, participants learned practical approaches to engaging traditional rulers, community leaders, government agencies, and oil companies to secure representation for PWDs within Host Community Development Trusts, Boards of Trustees, and Advisory Committees.
At the end of the workshop, participants expressed renewed confidence and commitment to advancing disability inclusion within their communities. They pledged to share the knowledge gained with other members of the disability community, strengthen advocacy networks, and engage relevant stakeholders to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully represented in decision-making and benefit-sharing structures under the PIA.
The workshop marked another significant step toward building an informed, empowered, and united disability community in Ondo State and across the Niger Delta region, while reinforcing calls for inclusive development that leaves no one behind.
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