Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has been hailed as Champion of Disability Inclusion in the country, by the Nigeria Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) at its 36th annual conference which started in Ado- Ekiti on Tuesday.
The Ekiti State Governor, who was also honoured as a NASET Fellow at the opening session of the conference with theme: “Transformative Solutions and Inclusive Education for Learners with Disabilities”, was applauded for pioneering major policies and programmes for disability inclusion in the state.
The National President of the Association, Dr Catherine James Atteng, said Governor Oyebanji became a voice for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) by embedding inclusivity into state policy, stressing that by doing so the Governor has also made Ekiti a “model for Nigeria”.
Dr Atteng, in her opening address to the participants drawn from the 36 states of the Federation and FCT, hailed Ekiti’s “unprecedented accessibility”, contrasting it with bureaucratic hurdles usually experienced elsewhere, adding that Governor Oyebanji makes everyone feel valued.
Governor Oyebanji in his keynote address, detailed some sweeping reforms that have impacted positively on PWDs in the state, including the establishment of Ekiti’s first therapy centre in Ado-Ekiti, free sessions, meals, and transport for Persons with Disabilities.
Upgrading of facilities at the state’s three special schools to global standards with cutting-edge equipment and trained specialists, preparation of students for national exams like WAEC and UME, with many securing university admissions.
Others programmes of the administration, according to the Governor, include economic empowerment, vocational training, trade certifications, and start-up grants for PWDs. He added that all PWDs now access free healthcare statewide.
Speaking further, the Governor, who was represented at the vent by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Habibat Adubiaro, said that disability inclusion has become the administration’s cornerstone and he is walking the talk through policies and actions.
Governor oyebanji noted that the creation of the office of Special Education and Social Inclusion and Agency for Disabilities Affairs, backed by the Ekiti State Disability Laws are some of the strategic moves responsible for the success witnessed in the area of inclusion.
He urged participants to make the conference result- oriented with workable policies and recommendations knowing well that the success of the advocacy to improve the lives of people with disabilities is a collective responsibility.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola, in her welcome address as the Host, thanked the Governor for providing necessary support for the PWDs community and special schools in the state.
Agboola disclosed that in furtherance of the Governor’s passion for special students, the state would witness the establishment of Nigeria’s first inclusive school, billed to take off in Ikole by September. The aim, according to her is to integrate PWDs with their peers- a move that is already fueling high enrollment in the special schools.
In her own remarks, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Adebimpe Aderiye, credited the Governor for his “empathy-driven leadership,” citing the creation of the Office of Special Education and Social Inclusion as a “game-changer” for synergy across ministries.
