APC PWD Leader Calls for Full Enforcement of Disability Act

APC PWD Leader Calls for Full Enforcement of Disability Act

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The National Leader of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aare (Hon.) Durotolu Oyebode Bankole, has called on all tiers of government to accelerate the full enforcement of the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, insisting that meaningful national progress cannot be achieved while millions of Nigerians with disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion.

Bankole made the call in a national address on Wednesday to mark the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), commemorated annually on December 3.

He said the theme for this year : “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress” presents Nigeria with an opportunity to renew It’s commitment to justice, equality and human dignity.

He noted that since the United Nations proclaimed the IDPD in 1992, the day has served as a reminder of the global responsibility to build inclusive societies where every individual can participate fully, regardless of physical or sensory limitations.

Bankole said the 2018 Act remains a landmark law but lamented that its implementation across the country has been uneven and slow, leaving many public buildings without ramps, lifts or accessible features, while transportation systems, schools and workplaces remain unfriendly to persons with disabilities.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a renewed focus on disability inclusion through expanded social protection programmes, accessible education initiatives and targeted interventions. He also praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her advocacy on behalf of women and children with disabilities.

Within the ruling party, Bankole applauded the APC National Working Committee led by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda for institutionalising disability representation and ensuring PWDs hold strategic leadership roles, a model he urged other political parties to adopt nationwide.

The APC PWD Leader also highlighted his personal contributions through grants, scholarships, medical support, mobility aids and welfare initiatives benefiting thousands of persons with disabilities across the country.

However, he said deeper reforms remain urgent in light of rising economic hardship, unemployment and the high cost of assistive devices.

Bankole listed several priority actions, including full domestication and enforcement of the Disability Act with clear timelines and budgetary commitments; a Federal Government–led 10-year National Disability Inclusion Strategy (2026–2035); mandatory accessibility audits of public infrastructure; reserved political and leadership quotas for PWDs; and a dedicated national entrepreneurship and employment support framework.

He also stressed the need for massive public enlightenment campaigns to combat stigma and cultural misconceptions that continue to hinder inclusion.

“Inclusion is not charity, it is a fundamental human right. A nation that marginalises any segment of its population ultimately impoverishes itself. But a nation that embraces full inclusion unlocks boundless innovation, productivity and shared prosperity,” Bankole said.

He therefore urged Nigerians to commit to building a society where no child is denied education because of disability, no youth is denied opportunity due to accessibility barriers, and every adult with a disability can live with dignity and contribute to national progress.

He reaffirmed that under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria has the opportunity to become a global model for disability inclusion if stakeholders act with urgency and sincerity.