The words of the Executive Director of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David Anyaele, as he commemorated the 25th anniversary of his limb loss, are a reminder of the need for government at all levels in Nigeria to include persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the governance process.

Development Diaries reports that Anyaele, whose hands were chopped off in 1999 by fighters of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone, noted his agenda for persons with disabilities in Abia State, southeast Nigeria.

It is understood that Anyaele was appointed as the Special Assistant on Persons with Disabilities to the Governor of Abia State.

‘Today is the 25th anniversary of my limb loss. I was just meditating on how far it has been living without hands’, he said in a Facebook post.

‘I’m participating actively in the effort for a new Abia State as the Special Assistant on Persons with Disabilities to the Governor of Abia State. Only God can do it.

‘My agenda is to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in government programmes and activities, even as I work to create access to rehabilitation and reintegration of Abians with disabilities’.

Anyaele’s post is a reminder of the need for governments in the country to actively promote inclusivity and provide equal opportunities for PWDs to productively participate in governance.

PWDs, like any other segment of society, possess unique abilities and qualifications that can contribute significantly to the development and implementation of inclusive policies.

Moreover, the active involvement of PWDs in governance can lead to the creation of policies that better address the specific needs and challenges faced by this marginalised group, ultimately fostering a more just and equitable society.

Development Diaries calls on the federal and other state governments to emulate what the Abia State government has done in embracing diversity in governance, which is a strategic decision that enhances the overall effectiveness of government institutions.

We also call on the states that have yet to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Act to do so immediately. For states that have already domesticated the law, we call on them to ensure its proper enforcement.

Photo source: David Anyaele