 |
| The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Ayuba Gufwan |
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Gufwan, has called on women and persons with disabilities, PWDs, to rise and claim their rightful place in Nigeria’s politics and governance, stressing that inclusion will not be freely given but must be actively pursued.
Gufwan made this statement during an interview on The Platform, a program of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where he addressed wide-ranging issues including disability rights, political participation, education, assistive technologies, and government interventions.
According to him, Nigeria’s estimated 35.5 million persons with disabilities are not isolated but connected to nearly every family in the country, making inclusion a responsibility for all Nigerians.
“These 35.5 million people are connected—through mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, and aunties. Making Nigeria adaptable and accommodating is everybody’s responsibility. It is not just the battle of persons with disabilities, but for all Nigerians,” he said.
On political participation, the NCPWD boss applauded the 10th National Assembly for recent moves to support inclusivity, including provisions aimed at ensuring representation for women with disabilities. However, he emphasized that such opportunities must be claimed, not awaited.
“Power is not given; power is taken. Women and people with disabilities must rise and claim it. Nobody will hand it over on a platter of gold. Women also have the highest numerical strength during elections, which means they have the capacity to make change happen,” he stated.
He also highlighted the provisions of the disability law, which earmarks five percent of all employment opportunities and ten percent of humanitarian interventions for persons with disabilities. While acknowledging that these figures fall short of the population size, he said they represent an important starting point.
Gufwan stressed that the commission is working closely with ministries and agencies to ensure disability-related budgetary provisions translate into tangible benefits. He added that disability issues cut across all sectors and should be integrated into every government program.
Turning to education, he commended Federal University, Lafia, for granting a 75 percent tuition waiver to students with disabilities across all levels of study, and welcomed the government’s student loan scheme, which includes automatic access for PWDs. He called on other institutions to adopt similar inclusive policies.
Reflecting on his personal journey, Gufwan recalled crawling as a child with polio until he received his first tricycle wheelchair, which opened the door to education and eventual success.“Anyone who has lost body function needs assistive devices. That wheelchair gave me access to education and everything I’ve achieved today,” he explained.
Despite these strides, he lamented that millions of Nigerians still crawl due to lack of mobility aids, while others with albinism and visual impairments struggle without affordable assistive technologies. He appealed for stronger partnerships with government, the private sector, and civil society to close these gaps.
“Motorized wheelchairs and other devices are too expensive for families who already exhaust their income on healthcare. No Nigerian should be confined to their room or crawl on their hands and knees for life,” he said.
Gufwan concluded that full disability inclusion would not only transform lives but also contribute to Nigeria’s overall development, pointing to other countries that have reaped national benefits by investing in accessibility.