An Ogun State chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and convener of The Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, has condemned the shabby treatment of people living with disabilities in the state.
Showunmi, in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday, decried the exclusion of people living with disabilities, saying that not much has been done to ease their challenges and help them live a dignified life.
He stated, “In Ogun State, thousands of persons living with disabilities wake up every day ready to learn, work, and contribute, yet are blocked not by ability, but by policy neglect.
“Broken sidewalks, inaccessible schools, discriminatory hiring practices, and limited healthcare access silently exclude a significant portion of our population from Ogun State’s development story.
“This exclusion is not just unjust; it is costly. According to global development evidence, societies that fail to include persons with disabilities lose productivity, deepen poverty, and strain social welfare systems. Ogun State cannot afford to leave talent behind.”
Showunmi said that disability inclusion is not charity but smart governance, economic sense, and a constitutional responsibility under Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act.
He explained, “A focused disability inclusion policy does not require reinventing government. It requires intentional budgeting, enforcement, and participation of PLWDs in decision-making.”
To improve the fortune of the disability community in the state, Showunmi has submitted a proposal for a N1.9bn annual budget to address some of the challenges confronting these groups.
He earmarked N500m for accessibility and infrastructure, including retrofitting public buildings, ramps, accessible toilets, and signage, while inclusive education, teacher training, learning aids, scholarships, and assistive devices would consume N350m.
Showunmi allocated N300m for employment, vocational training, entrepreneurship grants, and employer incentives, while N400m was set aside for healthcare, assistive devices, rehabilitation services, mobility aids, and hearing/visual devices.
He further stated that digital and information access, including accessible state websites, sign language services, and emergency alerts, would cost N150m, while the disability registry, monitoring, and operation of the Office for Disability Affairs would account for N200m.
Showunmi emphasised that N1.9 billion represents a small fraction of the state’s annual budget, yet its impact would be transformational.
He listed the anticipated effects of the budget proposal as including higher school enrollment and completion rates, increased workforce participation and tax contributions, reduced dependency and long-term social welfare costs, and stronger compliance with national and international human rights obligations.
The PDP chieftain said that funding alone is not enough. He stressed that the state must also strengthen the Office for Disability Affairs with enforcement powers to mandate accessibility compliance across ministries, departments, and agencies.
“The office must also ensure persons with disabilities sit at the policy table and track progress through transparent data collection and public reporting,” he added.
Showunmi said that the state prides itself as a gateway to progress and innovation, but “true progress, however, is measured by how we treat our most excluded citizens, including persons with disabilities.”
He explained, “Inclusion of people living with disabilities is not a favour; it is not optional, but the right thing and the smart thing to do. Ogun State has the opportunity to lead by example. The question is not whether we can afford disability inclusion—it is whether we can afford continued exclusion.”
Showunmi hinted that with his eyes on the governorship of the state come 2027, he would be working on the ideas he has espoused to make life easier and better for people living with disabilities.
Meanwhile, responding to Showunmi’s post, the state chairman of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Ayodele Awobona, hailed the PDP chieftain for his commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities are well taken care of and given their due place of pride in governance as enshrined in the constitution.
Awobona said, “Thank you, sir, for your response. Your submission is indeed loaded and speaks to what the disability community in the state has been saying for years: inclusion is not a social favour; it is governance, economics, equity, and human rights intersecting.
“When schools are accessible, more children learn. When workplaces are inclusive, productivity grows. When healthcare is reachable, families are strengthened. When persons with disabilities are given opportunities, they thrive. Inclusion multiplies value across society.
“Your proposed framework proves that inclusion is practical and achievable. It can be budgeted, implemented, and monitored within existing government systems. We only need the political will, institutional strengthening, and the active involvement of persons with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives.
“Wishing you success in your aspiration to lead the state, and we look forward with hope to seeing strong words translate into meaningful, inclusive action.”
Leave a comment