JONAPWD Calls for Enforcement of Disability Rights Law as Anambra Marks Disability Day
ONITSHA, The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State Chapter, joined the international community to mark the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), with a call for a sustainable and inclusive society.
As part of activities marking the Day, JONAPWD held its End-of-Year Meeting and Praise Day with the theme, “Let’s Praise God.”
In his opening address in Awka, the State Chairman of JONAPWD, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, observed that the annual IDPD commemoration serves as a global platform to raise awareness on disability issues, promote dignity, and advocate for policies that support a truly inclusive society.
He highlighted the global 2025 IDPD theme, “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Society for Advancing Social Progress,” stressing that meaningful development cannot be achieved when any group, especially persons with disabilities, is excluded from education, employment, healthcare, governance, infrastructure and community life.
The JONAPWD Chairman said the event provided an ample opportunity to celebrate the resilience of persons with disabilities and reflect on key issues affecting their welfare, rights and inclusion.
Okeke further noted that persons with disabilities contribute immensely to education, sports, business, culture, innovation and governance, yet continue to face barriers that limit their full participation.
He however expressed concern about persistent challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Anambra State despite the existing Disability Rights Law, such as inaccessible public buildings and transport systems, limited employment opportunities, weak enforcement of disability laws, discrimination, inadequate assistive devices, poor inclusive education structures and insufficient representation in decision-making positions.
Okeke called on the state government to strengthen enforcement of the Disability Rights Law, improve accessibility in public infrastructure, empower the Disability Commission and expand livelihood and employment programmes. He also urged religious institutions to make worship more inclusive and to fight stigma within communities.
The JONAPWD Chairman commended Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo on his re-election, describing the victory as a sign of public confidence. He also praised the governor and the First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, for supporting the disability community through empowerment programmes and welfare initiatives.
JONAPWD further appreciated the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for extending economic empowerment to 250 persons with disabilities in Anambra State. Okeke said the support, delivered through the governor’s wife, would enhance the financial independence of beneficiaries.
He encouraged them to use the funds responsibly and assured others that future editions of the programme would include more participants.
Presenting a lecture on health risks, symptoms and preventive or curative measures, the Chairperson of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Dr Amaka Onubogu, said that members of the disability community are at high risk of contracting non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and cancer.
Onubogu listed the major causes to include smoking, dehydration, alcoholic intake, stress, overweight and hereditary factors.
According to her, these diseases can be managed by meticulous observation of the body and its symptoms.
Onubogu said the preventive measures can be adopted by way of maintaining a health diary, living healthy lifestyles, asking questions on any noticed signs, recording high blood pressure, monitoring sugar levels, eating more organic foods rather than fried ones and drinking more water.
