Stakeholders at the one-day South-West Summit of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) have called for the development of a unified national disability policy to provide a clear and consistent framework for addressing the challenges confronting persons with disabilities across Nigeria.
The stakeholders also demanded greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in the 2027 general elections, urging relevant authorities to remove barriers that hinder their full participation in the electoral process.
The summit, which brought together representatives of the disability community and other stakeholders from across the South-West, focused on strengthening advocacy, coordination and collective action towards improving the rights, welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Participants stressed the need for a comprehensive national disability policy that would establish common standards across the 36 states of the federation, noting that a unified framework would help address disparities in the implementation of disability rights and programmes across the country.
They further urged JONAPWD to take a stronger leadership role in advocating for policies and programmes that promote the rights, dignity and socio-economic wellbeing of persons with disabilities.
Attention was also focused on the 2027 general elections, with participants calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen existing measures to ensure the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities at every stage of the electoral process.
The stakeholders emphasised the need for more accessible polling units, election information and voting procedures, as well as stronger representation and participation of persons with disabilities in political activities.
The summit also appealed to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to expedite the domestication and effective implementation of disability legislation in the state.
Participants said the implementation of appropriate disability laws would strengthen institutional protection for persons with disabilities and promote equal access to opportunities and public services.
The summit concluded with a call for stronger collaboration among disability organisations, government institutions, political actors and other stakeholders to advance disability inclusion and ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in Nigeria’s development process.
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