Ebonyi PWDs Demand Disability Commission to End Educational Marginalization and Extreme Poverty

In a poignant appeal highlighting the systemic exclusion faced by vulnerable demographics, the Ebonyi State chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has renewed its urgent call on Governor Francis Nwifuru to prioritize the welfare and structural inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). At the heart of this advocacy is the immediate establishment of a statutory State Disability Commission, which advocates argue is long overdue to guarantee the fundamental rights of thousands of citizens.

Speaking with journalists, the State Chairman of JONAPWD, Friday Nwovu, lamented the steep hurdles confronting the community, particularly in accessing quality education. According to Nwovu, the absence of a structured, state-backed framework has left many intellectually capable PWDs locked out of the academic system. He revealed that over 50 members recently approached the association's office, desperate for financial assistance just to purchase the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration forms.

Nwovu emphasized that the proposed commission would serve as a vital administrative engine to drive educational sponsorships, skill acquisition programs, employment quotas, and direct political representation for the disability community. Currently, JONAPWD operates through distinct cluster networks across all 13 Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, but without a formal commission to institutionalize their advocacy, these grassroots efforts face severe limitations under current bureaucratic structures.