Ebonyi Disability Community Demands Disability Commission At Historic JONAPWD Love Feast ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎It was a historic and emotional moment for the disability community in Ebonyi State on Saturday as the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) held its first-ever “Love Feast,” bringing together members from all the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

‎ ‎The event served not only as a humanitarian celebration but also as a strong advocacy platform for the rights of over 144,000 persons living with disabilities (PWDs) in Ebonyi State, with participants calling on the state government to urgently establish a Disability Commission. ‎ ‎State Chairman of JONAPWD, Comrade Nwovu Friday, said the Love Feast was inspired by the biblical principle of love, but stressed that the larger goal remains the domestication of the Disability Act in the state. ‎

‎According to him, Ebonyi remains the only state in the South-East without a Disability Commission, despite the passage of the relevant bill by the State House of Assembly. ‎ ‎“Ebonyi is the only state in the South East that does not have a Disability Commission. The House of Assembly has passed the bill, but it is still awaiting the Governor’s assent. ‎ ‎" Once we have a commission, our issues will be treated as rights, not privileges. We will have a budget that captures our needs and moves our people off the streets,” he said.

‎ ‎Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the JONAPWD chairman expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of response from the Ministry of Women Affairs, alleging that several letters sent to the Commissioner regarding the association’s activities, including the Love Feast, were not acknowledged. ‎ ‎“Disabled families cannot live like this. We need people who love us and listen to us,” he added. ‎ ‎The event also featured humanitarian interventions through a partnership with the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), led by Associate Professor Nneka Sunday Nweke, who provided free cervical and breast cancer screening, oral hygiene checks, as well as hypertension and diabetes tests for participants. ‎ ‎Speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Nwite Chidi, CEO of Chido Metal Concept Ltd, encouraged persons with disabilities not to lose hope, noting that disability should not define their future. ‎ ‎“Being disabled is not the end of life. Government should establish skill acquisition centres to empower this community,” he said. ‎ ‎In his closing remarks, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Victor Nwali, called for total inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance. ‎ ‎“Persons with disabilities deserve to be part of the cabinet of Ebonyi State Government. We are a valuable and integral part of society and must be included in development,” he stated. ‎ ‎The Love Feast marked a major milestone for the disability community in Ebonyi State, as participants described the gathering as a symbol of unity, hope, and renewed struggle for equal rights.