The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has inaugurated a Technical Working Committee on Disability Inclusion, a strategic structure designed to advance a more inclusive Lagos for all.
EpeInsights learnt that the inauguration, held at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Conference Room in Alausa, Ikeja, convened an impressive gathering of representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), disability advocacy groups, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders.
The newly formed committee is charged with enhancing coordination, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring alignment across sectors to support policies and programmes that guarantee the full participation and empowerment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos State.
General Manager of LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, described the committee’s creation as “a crucial step” in strengthening the state’s architecture for disability-inclusive governance.
“This committee is vital to our collective vision of building a society where everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to opportunities,” she said.
“We must remain committed, consistent, and collaborative in ensuring that disability inclusion becomes standard practice across all sectors.”
Oyetunde-Lawal reaffirmed the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to equity and inclusiveness, emphasizing that PWDs remain central to the state’s development agenda.
The inaugural session featured insightful presentations, including one by Disability and Inclusion Analyst Mrs. Laolu Akande, who spoke on “The Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Law.”
This was followed by Barrister Safiu, who outlined and facilitated the formal adoption of the Terms of Reference for the Lagos State Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group (LSDITWG).
Breakout sessions, coordinated by Dr. Esther Somefun, Gender and Reproductive Health Analyst, and Dr. Adekola, Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Orientation, enabled participants to develop actionable strategies and implementation frameworks.
In his closing remarks, Barrister Safiu commended UNFPA for its steadfast support in strengthening disability inclusion efforts, noting that the partnership ensures PWDs have a meaningful voice in policy formulation and governance.
The newly inaugurated committee brings together representatives from government agencies, PWD advocacy groups, development partners, and private-sector organisations — all united in advancing a Lagos where inclusivity is not just policy, but practice.
