We’ll Ensure Barriers Hindering Persons With Disabilities are Eliminated, Says Otti

Boniface Okoro in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has explained that his administration was deploying capacity building programmes for stakeholders to eliminate barriers hindering full participation of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and to ensure that such barriers do not reappear.

Governor Otti also said that his administration was investing in PwDs to achieve government’s inclusivity agenda, declaring that removal of the barriers hindering PwDs “is a must.”

This was contained in a goodwill message from the governor to commemorate the 2025 International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) last Wednesday.  

IDPD is observed every December 3, a day set aside by the United Nations to promote broader understanding of disability issues, with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities and the gains to be derived from integrating them fully into political, social, economic, and cultural life.

“We are joining the international community to pause and reflect on the state of persons with disabilities’ participation and contributions to the socio-economic development of our state,” Otti said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Persons with Disabilities, Mr. David Anyaele.

 “We are determined to guarantee the well-being of all persons with disabilities through the promotion of equal opportunities, guided by the Abia State Disability Law, the National Disability Act, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” he reassured.

Speaking on the theme for the 2025 IDPD: ‘Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress’, Otti said the theme aligns perfectly with the value Abia State places on disability inclusion.

“To ensure the sustainability of our investments in persons with disabilities and to ensure that barriers removed never reappear, we have built the capacity of Permanent Secretaries across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies on disability inclusion, the Abia State Disability Law, and disability-responsive budgeting,” he stated. 

“This will help ensure that no one is left behind in government programmes and activities by reason of disability,” the statement added.

He further highlighted ongoing efforts at improving accessibility, explaining that public infrastructure were being upgraded to accommodate persons with different forms of disabilities; including the newly acquired mass-transit buses which are equipped with accessibility features for persons with physical disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly.

The governor also disclosed that similar capacity-building initiatives on disability inclusion have been extended to the Mayors/Chairmen of the 17 Local Government areas. Additionally, over 800 Primary Healthcare workers, teachers, and parents/caregivers have been sensitised on supporting children with intellectual disabilities in the state.

“Therefore, we will continue to say no to all forms of discrimination, stigma, and isolation of Abians by reason of disability,” the governor said. 

While wishing all Abians with disabilities a happy celebration, the governor emphasised that his administration was fully committed to scaling up the state’s response to disability issues in the coming year and beyond. 

“As we restore the glory of Abia and make her truly the number one state in Nigeria—God’s Own State—no one will be left behind by reason of disability,” he pledged.