UMUAHIA — The Chairman of the Abia State Disability Commission, Dr. David Anyaele, has assured Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) who protested their alleged exclusion from the ongoing teacher recruitment exercise that their concerns will be investigated and justice served.
Anyaele gave the assurance on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, when he intervened after a group of aggrieved PWD applicants gathered peacefully at the Government House gate in Umuahia to protest their absence from the list of candidates undergoing orientation.
Addressing the protesters, the Commission Chairman said the Abia State Government had a policy of giving priority to PWDs in employment opportunities, noting that the applicants were exempted from the Computer-Based Test (CBT) as part of the state’s affirmative action policy.
“I am aware of the request you made during the media chat, and I am also aware of His Excellency’s response,” Anyaele told the protesters.
“He made it clear: we give priority to people with disability in recruitment in this state. In fact, that was why you were waived from participating in the Computer-Based Test (CBT), because state policy dictates that PWDs must not participate in it.”
However, Anyaele identified a communication gap as one of the factors behind the current situation, explaining that a comprehensive list of the affected applicants had not been forwarded to the Commission by the leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
He said the absence of the list made it difficult for the Commission to ascertain the specific applicants whose names were missing from the orientation schedule.
To address the matter, the Chairman directed the protesters to compile their full names, local government areas, contact details and educational qualifications and submit the information directly to the Commission.
Anyaele pledged to personally investigate the alleged exclusion and present the applicants’ case to the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, for appropriate consideration.
He also commended the protesters for their resilience, acknowledging the barriers PWDs often overcome in pursuing education and employment.
“I know what it means to go to school as a person with disability,” he said. “You were able to conquer all the barriers—physical, attitudinal, and institutional—and you came out and you passed.”
“When the call was made for recruitment, you applied just like every other person. Our policy remains that people with disabilities must be given priority in employment opportunities, and you will not be an exclusion.”
The intervention has raised hopes among the affected applicants that the alleged omission will be addressed and that qualified PWD candidates will be considered in line with Abia State’s stated commitment to disability inclusion and affirmative action in employment.
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