ABUJA — Renowned disability rights advocate and member of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tolu Bankole, has called on the Federal Government to implement free education and healthcare services for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria, citing the urgent need to reduce systemic inequality and social exclusion.
Bankole made the appeal in a public statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, June 26, 2025, while commemorating the 2025 International Day for Persons Living with Disabilities in Africa. He emphasized that true national development must be inclusive, and urged stakeholders to prioritize the welfare of citizens living with disabilities through deliberate policy interventions.
According to him, PWDs in Nigeria continue to face disproportionate barriers to quality education, affordable healthcare, employment, and political representation — challenges that he says can be mitigated through proactive legislation and government-led initiatives.
“It is no longer acceptable that millions of Nigerians living with disabilities are still struggling to access basic education and health services due to poverty, neglect, and lack of political will,” Bankole stated.
He argued that granting free and compulsory education to children with disabilities and ensuring cost-free access to medical care would not only restore their dignity but also unlock their potential as active contributors to the nation’s economy.
Bankole also called on federal and state governments to fully implement the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which mandates inclusive education, healthcare, and accessibility in public infrastructure.
He urged the Ministries of Education and Health to work with disability-focused organizations to develop customized learning tools, inclusive curriculums, and special healthcare programs to address the unique needs of PWDs.
His remarks have sparked widespread support from civil society groups, disability rights activists, and members of the public, many of whom echoed the call for increased budgetary allocations and strategic programs to empower Nigeria’s estimated 25 million citizens living with disabilities.
Bankole concluded by urging policymakers, development partners, and the private sector to “rise above tokenism” and embrace sustainable disability inclusion in governance and service delivery.
