By
Sakina Ahmed,
When Salamatu fell sick during her pregnancy, she went to a public hospital in Adamawa State hoping to see a doctor and return home safely. Salamatu who has a hearing impairment struggled to explain her symptoms.
“She didn’t know what she was doing,” Elizabeth Richard, a visually impaired woman who shared Salamatu’s experience, said. “She had to leave and look for someone she knew who could interpret before the doctor could understand what she was going through.”
Salamatu was not in labour. She was pregnant and ill. Yet something as basic as communication stood between her and proper medical care.
For Mary Dauda, the barrier was at a bank.
“I went to fix my account,” she said. “I don’t have legs. I could not climb up. They said the wheelchair would not go into the bank.”
Dauda said she sat on the floor outside the banking hall. A woman who noticed her asked why she was sitting down.
“I told her that is how I am, I don’t have legs,” she said. The woman tried to get help from inside the bank, but officials refused to take responsibility for making the space accessible.
“I had to crawl a lot,” she said. “If the bill was assented to, this would not have happened.”
Her voice was calm, but her experience reflects a deeper problem: public spaces that remain out of reach for many persons with disabilities in Adamawa State.
A Law Passed, But Not Activated
In March 2026, the Adamawa State House of Assembly passed a bill to prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities and to establish the Adamawa State Persons with Disability Commission.
The bill was sponsored by Hon. Yohanna Sahabo Jauro, who represents Mubi South Constituency.
Lawmakers described it as a major step toward inclusion. It repeals the 2016 disability law and seeks to create stronger legal protections and a commission that will oversee enforcement.
The proposed commission is expected to protect persons with disabilities from discrimination; ensure accessibility in public buildings; enforce a five percent employment quota in public institutions; promote inclusive education and access to healthcare; and monitor compliance while applying penalties where necessary.
But months after its passage, the bill is still awaiting the governor’s assent and full implementation.
Without assent, the commission cannot be formally established. Without a commission, there is no dedicated enforcement body.
“Our People Are Suffering”
The Assistant Secretary of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, Adamawa State Chapter, John Anthony said the delay is affecting everyday life.
“It has affected our daily lives in terms of education, livelihood and empowerment,” he said. “Without the commission on ground, our people are facing a lot of challenges.”
He explained that many public buildings remain inaccessible.
“Even yesterday, I went to a programme on the third floor. There was no elevator, no ramp. I had to withdraw myself because I could not climb,” he said.
He added that the five percent employment quota for persons with disabilities in public institutions is yet to be fully implemented.
Access to justice and healthcare also remains limited.
“With the commission on ground, 80 to 90 percent of our problems will reduce,” he said. “But without it, our people are suffering.”
Disability groups said they have visited the Office of the Secretary to the State Government and the Chief of Staff to advocate for action. They were told the governor is aware and would act soon.
Months later, no clear timeline has been announced.
Rights on Paper
Nigeria ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. In 2018, the country enacted the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act at the federal level.
However, implementation at the state level remains uneven.
Goodness Frederick, Executive Director of the Goodness Frederick Foundation, said that when state governments fail to domesticate and enforce disability laws, rights remain theoretical.
“When laws are not implemented, rights exist only on paper,” she said. “There are no strong local enforcement mechanisms and no accountability.”
She listed common challenges faced by persons with disabilities including schools refusing admission to children with disabilities, public buildings without ramps or accessible toilets, lack of sign language interpreters in hospitals and places of worship, Inaccessible transport systems and Ignored employment quotas.
She said some states, including Lagos and Kaduna have domesticated disability laws, though enforcement remains weak in many cases.
“In Adamawa, we are still waiting for that first critical step,” she said.
Lack of Political Will?
Advocates point to low political priority as a key reason for the delay.
Disability rights are often treated as welfare concerns rather than governance issues. Governments tend to prioritise roads, security, salaries and visible infrastructure projects.
Setting up a disability commission requires funding. Public buildings may need to be redesigned. Staff must be recruited. Monitoring systems must be created.
These changes come with financial implications.
But advocates argue that inclusion is not charity. It is a constitutional and human rights obligation.
Radio Nigeria reached out to relevant government officials for comment on the delay. They declined to speak on the issue.
Their silence left important questions unanswered.
Why is a law passed by the State Assembly not yet activated?
Why is the protection of persons with disabilities not treated as urgent?
Who should be held accountable for the delay?
Is it the executive arm that has not assented?
Is it a budgeting issue?
Or is it simply a lack of political will?
There is no direct criminal penalty for failing to domesticate or assent to such a law. However, experts say continued inaction can expose the state to constitutional litigation, public interest lawsuits and reputational damage.
The Human Cost of Delay
For Salamatu, the delay means going to a hospital without understanding what doctors are saying while pregnant and sick.
For Mary Dauda, it means crawling to access banking services.
For John Anthony, it means withdrawing from public programmes because there are no ramps.
For many others, it means being shut out of schools, jobs and public spaces.
The law has been passed. The sponsor has done his part in the legislature. Civil society groups are speaking out. Disability clusters are organising advocacy visits.
The final step now rests with the executive.
Until the governor assents to the bill and the commission becomes operational, persons with disabilities in Adamawa State will continue to navigate barriers that are not caused by their impairments, but by systems that have not yet chosen to include them.
