PWDs Still Excluded from Opportunities and Governance, Says ADC Chieftain Okogwu

The National Leader of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Chike Okogwu, has stated that Nigeria’s democracy cannot be regarded as fully functional while millions of persons with disabilities continue to face exclusion from opportunities, public services, and governance processes.

Okogwu made the assertion in his Democracy Day message titled “Democracy Without Access is Democracy Denied,” released in Abuja.
In the statement, he expressed concern that many of the challenges affecting persons with disabilities remain unresolved four years after he first drew attention to them.
He stressed that the true measure of democracy lies in how it serves its most vulnerable citizens, noting that inaccessible public facilities, discrimination, and exclusion continue to prevent many Nigerians with disabilities from enjoying the full benefits of democratic governance.
According to him, the country’s worsening economic conditions have disproportionately affected persons with disabilities, as rising food prices, transportation costs, and healthcare expenses have increased hardship for many vulnerable households.
The statement also highlighted the impact of insecurity on PWDs, pointing out that persons with disabilities face additional risks during attacks, displacement, and humanitarian crises because of inadequate disability-sensitive emergency response systems.
Okogwu further identified unemployment as a major challenge, despite the increasing number of educated and qualified persons with disabilities. He attributed the problem to discrimination and inaccessible recruitment processes that continue to shut many capable individuals out of the workforce.
The statement described unreliable electricity supply as another significant challenge, noting that many persons with disabilities depend on assistive technologies, medical equipment, and communication devices that require steady power to function effectively.
On healthcare, Okogwu observed that many medical facilities remain inaccessible. He added that rehabilitation services, assistive devices, and sign language interpretation services are either unavailable or too expensive for many people, limiting access to adequate healthcare.
The statement also pointed to transportation and aviation as sectors requiring urgent reforms. It noted that public transport systems, pedestrian infrastructure, and several airport facilities still do not meet accessibility standards, despite some improvements within the aviation industry.
Okogwu further warned about growing digital exclusion, saying that government services, education, and economic opportunities are increasingly moving online without sufficient accessibility measures for persons with disabilities.
While acknowledging the existence of the Disability Act, he argued that implementation remains weak and that legislation alone cannot guarantee inclusion without tangible improvements in the daily lives of those it is designed to protect.
He called on government institutions, political parties, the private sector, and civil society organisations to go beyond symbolic commitments and adopt policies that ensure social protection, accessible healthcare, inclusive education, economic empowerment, accessible transportation, and disability-sensitive security planning.
The statement added that the ADC is committed to prioritising the full implementation of disability rights, targeted social protection initiatives, inclusive employment policies, and accessibility standards across public institutions as part of its governance agenda.
According to Okogwu, the more than 30 million Nigerians living with disabilities are not asking for charity but for justice, equal opportunities, and meaningful participation in society. He maintained that Nigeria’s democratic journey will remain incomplete until inclusion becomes a reality for every citizen.