Advocate seeks enforcement of Disability Rights Act to tackle systemic exclusion

Change leader, Adaobi Chuma-Okeke has called for urgent action to create wheelchair-accessible infrastructure in educational institutions, public spaces, transport systems, and other services to foster dignity and equal opportunities for people with disabilities in Nigeria.

Speaking at an event marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Chuma-Okeke stressed the need for comprehensive policies to promote equal employment opportunities, social inclusion, and improved healthcare. She lamented the inconsistent enforcement of the Disability Rights Act, leaving many people with disabilities excluded from public life and the workplace.

Reflecting on her own struggles as a wheelchair user, Chuma-Okeke shared how she relied on supportive friends to complete her education, often being carried up stairs to attend classes. “These challenges inspired me to campaign for better accessibility in Nigerian schools,” she said.

She urged the Ministry of Education and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to implement existing laws, noting that many institutions remain inaccessible.
“Promises, policies, and laws must result in real, tangible changes. Proper ramps and elevators in schools would open opportunities for countless children with disabilities,” she added.

Chuma-Okeke’s message aligns with this year’s theme, ‘Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’, and the slogan, ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’.

Highlighting societal stigma and employer resistance, she called on the government and private sector to prioritise disability rights, adding: “Immediate action is needed to build a truly inclusive society.”