A member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Working Committee, Aare, Hon. Tolu Bankole, has called on the Federal Government to implement a national policy that guarantees free education and healthcare for Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, across the country.
Bankole made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that the prevailing economic hardship, coupled with the rising cost of medicines and assistive devices, had worsened the plight of over 30 million Nigerians living with disabilities.
“I canvass for free education from primary to tertiary and free health services for PWDs as a national government policy. This is a matter of necessity and social justice,” Bankole said.
According to him, inclusive education is a fundamental right and a critical pathway to economic empowerment, self-sustainability, and national development.
“Education will help in ensuring self-sustainability. It is a bridge to self-employment and a powerful tool for economic empowerment. When PWDs are educated, they are equipped to lift themselves out of poverty and exclusion,” he added.
On healthcare, Bankole decried the high cost of medicines and specialised care required by many PWDs to survive and function daily.
“Health is a fundamental human right. The cost of drugs and other medical essentials has gone beyond the reach of many PWDs. Without intervention, many of our people are left to suffer in silence and die. This must not continue,” he stated.
He urged the Federal Government to institutionalise a disability-specific health and education subsidy programme that would guarantee free, quality medical treatment and accessible education at all levels.
While commending President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Bankole appealed to the administration to scale up interventions targeting persons with disabilities.
“True inclusivity demands intentionality. As the government seeks to lift the most vulnerable, we must act decisively to reduce the burdens that PWDs face daily,” he said.
Bankole also called on state governments, local authorities, and private sector stakeholders to collaborate towards ensuring that no Nigerian with a disability is denied education or healthcare due to their condition or financial status.
He reaffirmed his commitment to continue engaging with relevant government agencies and lawmakers to push for the full implementation of disability rights in line with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
