Group Urges Kano Government to Establish Disability Commission as PWD Population Reaches 2.5 Million

By Ladan Nasidi, Kano

The Vulnerable People Support and Development Initiative (V-PeSDI) has called on the Kano State Government to urgently establish and operationalize the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities following new data indicating that the state is home to about 2.5 million persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The appeal follows the release of the Assumptive Data of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), which highlights the scale and diversity of disability across the country.

According to the report, persons with physical disabilities form the largest group nationwide, estimated at about 8.2 million.

They are followed by persons with hearing impairment at about 7.7 million and those with visual impairment at approximately 7.2 million. Other groups include people affected by leprosy, albinism, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disabilities, deaf-blindness and persons of little stature.

V-PeSDI noted that although Kano State has enacted a disability law aimed at protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, the absence of a functional commission has slowed effective implementation of the legislation.

The organization said the lack of a coordinating institution has contributed to several challenges faced by PWDs, including inaccessible public buildings, limited inclusive education, inadequate healthcare facilities and restricted access to employment opportunities.

It also expressed concern over the limited representation of persons with disabilities in policy-making processes.

V-PeSDI emphasized that establishing the commission would help coordinate disability-inclusive policies, enforce accessibility standards, promote employment opportunities and strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities in governance.

The group urged the state government to prioritize the immediate establishment of the commission to advance inclusive development and protect the rights of millions of residents living with disabilities.