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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has revealed that it will deploy Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), to serve as supervisors, monitors, collation and even returning officers during next year’s general elections.
It also disclosed that in its determination to serve the physically challenged better, it needs more and reliable data on disability, particularly the locations with the largest concentration of PWDs.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made the promise in his remarks at a campaign to promote the mainstreaming of PWDs in the electoral process organised by the Albino Foundation in Abuja on Wednesday.
Yakubu also promised to dismantle all barriers against inclusion of PWDs in elective and leadership positions.
“The commission has launched the INEC Framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process.
“However, there is so much to do to address the persistent gap in political participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in party leadership and nomination of candidates for elections. I urge parties to do more.
“One of the progressive provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 is the specific provision on the participation of PWDs in the electoral process. Section 54 provides for assistive and inclusive devices which in a sense has codified some of the initiatives already undertaken by the commission.
“The introduction of assistive devices such as the Braille ballot guide, magnifying glasses and posters for the deaf were all products of our engagement with the disability community. In implementing the provisions of Sec.
“54 of the Electoral Act 2022, we will continue to engage with the disability community without which the commission cannot provide the appropriate interventions needed to facilitate their full participation in the electoral process.
“As we continue to prepare for the 2023 general elections, for us to serve you better, we need more and reliable data on disability, particularly the locations with the largest concentration of PWDs. I am glad that working together, a lot has been generated.
“On our part, we have also gathered data on disability from the last voter registration exercise disaggregated by type of disability. For instance, we now know the percentages of new registrants with albinism, blindness, hearing challenges, spinal cord injuries, downs syndrome, little stature etc.
“In pursuit of our equal opportunities policy for all Nigerians irrespective of disability, we also look forward to other categories of PWDs to serve as Supervisors, Monitors, Collation and even Returning Officers during elections.
“On accessibility to voting and collation locations for PWDs, we will continue to engage with proprietors of schools and owners of facilities used during elections to provide facilities such as ramps for citizens in wheelchairs. Most of the facilities are public schools.
“I therefore call on the governments as well as proprietors and service providers across the country to ensure PWD access to all facilities not just for the purpose of elections but as a matter of responsibility. Wherever they are, PWDs should have unimpeded access to all facilities for education, health care etc. I must add that it does not take much to do so,” he appealed.
In his welcome address, the founder of Person with Albinism, Jake Epelle, revealed that no fewer than 700 PWDs will be deployed as election observers for next year’s general elections.
“We are going to be deploying 700 members of persons with disability as observers, in our electoral hub in partnership with INEC deploy an on the spot Application that will give us on the spot assessment that will give us what is happening in every polling unit real time data, video.
“We are also deploying members of the community as interns. This time not at Abuja where everything is centered but we are going to the states to ensure they begin to give opportunities to persons with disabilities to learn from those who are already in the house. So that they can be future legislators.
“We are deploying for the first time sign language interpreters for the two houses of the National Assembly and their salary to be paid for three years. We also need to attach a sign language interpreter to the INEC chairman wherever he goes,” he appealed.
