*Disability Group Petitions Oyo Assembly Over ‘10 Years of Stagnation’ in Special Homes, Seeks Transfer to State Disability Agency* 

The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has petitioned the Oyo State House of Assembly, calling for urgent legislative intervention to reposition government special homes and rehabilitation centres serving persons with disabilities across the state.

The petition, read on the floor of the House during plenary, urged lawmakers to place all government-run special homes and rehabilitation centres under the direct supervision and management of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the statutory body established to coordinate disability-related policies and programmes in the state.

In the petition, JONAPWD expressed deep concern over what it described as prolonged institutional stagnation in the state’s special homes, revealing that many of the facilities have reportedly operated for about a decade without structured new admissions or measurable graduations of beneficiaries.

According to the Association, rehabilitation and special education institutions are not intended to function merely as custodial facilities but are meant to provide structured academic instruction, therapeutic interventions, and vocational training, alongside clear pathways for graduation and reintegration into society.

The Association noted that the absence of regular intake, turnover, and measurable completion processes in the past ten years suggests systemic dysfunction and a deviation from the original objectives for which the facilities were established.

JONAPWD further lamented what it described as a gradual drift from the core mandate of the homes, stating that many of the centres now operate largely as custodial institutions rather than rehabilitation hubs.

The petition pointed out that many beneficiaries are not provided with Individual Development Plans, structured vocational training pathways, certification benchmarks, or transition planning frameworks that would enable them to become economically independent and socially integrated.

According to the Association, this model inadvertently encourages dependency instead of empowerment and falls short of modern disability governance standards that emphasize dignity, productivity, and social inclusion.

The Group also raised concerns over what it termed administrative misalignment and fragmented oversight in the management of the facilities.

It argued that the current supervisory structure has failed to deliver policy coherence, data-driven monitoring, institutional synergy, donor engagement, and structured accountability needed for the effective operation of such institutions.

JONAPWD noted that the exclusion of the state’s disability-focused statutory body from the direct supervision of the homes has led to duplication of responsibilities and weakened governance efficiency in the sector.

The petition emphasized that the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities was established specifically to coordinate disability programmes, drive inclusive policies, engage development partners, standardize disability services, and ensure compliance with rights-based frameworks.

Maintaining special homes outside the direct purview of the Agency, the Group argued, undermines the intent of the law establishing the agency and weakens institutional coordination.

Beyond identifying the challenges, the association also highlighted opportunities for strategic reform, suggesting that the facilities could be transformed into functional special technical colleges and structured rehabilitation centres.

Such a transformation, it noted, would enable the institutions to provide technical and vocational certification, empower adults and elderly persons with disabilities with skills for self-reliance, and align the state’s disability services with modern inclusive development standards.

The Group further argued that placing the special homes under the disability agency would restore purpose and structure to the facilities while turning them from passive care centres into active productivity hubs capable of supporting the broader socio-economic vision of the state government.

JONAPWD therefore urged the House to take decisive action by instituting a comprehensive legislative inquiry into the operational status of all special homes across Oyo State.

It also called on lawmakers to review the existing administrative and supervisory frameworks governing the institutions and pass a resolution transferring the supervision, coordination, and management of all government special homes and rehabilitation centres to the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

The Association further appealed for legislative backing to introduce structured admission systems, measurable graduation processes, vocational integration pathways, and sustainable rehabilitation programmes within the institutions.

According to the petitioners, such reforms would ensure disability-focused governance, strengthen partnerships with donors and the private sector, enhance monitoring and evaluation, and promote inclusive representation in decision-making.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin thereafter committed the Petition to the House Committee on Women Affairs for further legislative actions