Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Abia State have protested their alleged exclusion from the ongoing state teacher recruitment exercise, prompting the Abia State Disability Commission to promise an investigation into the matter.
The affected applicants gathered peacefully at the gate of the Abia State Government House in Umuahia on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after discovering that their names were reportedly missing from the list of candidates participating in the recruitment orientation.
Intervening in the protest, the Chairman of the Abia State Disability Commission, Dr. David Anyaele, assured the applicants that their concerns would be investigated and that justice would be pursued.
Anyaele said the state government has a policy of giving priority to PWDs in employment opportunities.
He explained that PWD applicants were exempted from the Computer-Based Test (CBT) because of the government’s affirmative-action policy.
I am aware of the request you made during the media chat, and I am also aware of His Excellency’s response,” Anyaele told the protesters. He made it clear: we give priority to people with disability in recruitment in this state. In fact, that was why you were waived from participating in the Computer-Based Test (CBT), because state policy dictates that PWDs must not participate in it.
He added that the exemption from the CBT was deliberate and was intended to ensure that PWD applicants were not disadvantaged in the recruitment process.
Communication Gap Blamed
The Commission chairman, however, identified a communication gap as a possible reason for the applicants’ omission from the orientation schedule.
According to Anyaele, the leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) had not forwarded a comprehensive list of the affected applicants to the Disability Commission.
He said this made it difficult for the Commission to establish which applicants were affected by the alleged omission.
To resolve the issue, Anyaele directed the protesters to submit their details directly to the Commission.
The applicants were asked to provide their full names, local government areas, contact information and educational qualifications.
The chairman promised to personally investigate the matter and present the applicants’ case to Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.
‘You Will Not Be Excluded’
Anyaele also acknowledged the challenges PWDs face in accessing education and employment, commending the protesters for overcoming physical, attitudinal and institutional barriers.
He reminded them that they had applied for the recruitment exercise like other candidates and should be considered under the state’s stated disability-inclusion policy.
I know what it means to go to school as a person with disability,” he said. “You were able to conquer all the barriers—physical, attitudinal, and institutional—and you came out and you passed. When the call was made for recruitment, you applied just like every other person. Our policy remains that people with disabilities must be given priority in employment opportunities, and you will not be an exclusion.
The intervention has given the affected applicants renewed hope that their alleged exclusion will be addressed.
The development also places renewed attention on the implementation of affirmative-action policies for PWDs, particularly in public-sector recruitment.
For now, the applicants are expected to submit their details to the Disability Commission, after which the commission is expected to investigate the complaints and engage the state government on their behalf.
