Ahead of the September 21, 2024 off-cycle governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has engaged Electoral Officers (EOs) in the 18 Local Government Areas and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on the deployment and use of assistive materials.
The one-day strategic engagement with EOs, Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, visually and hearing-impaired voters was held in Benin City.
Addressing, the electoral officers, and Heads of Clusters of Persons with Disabilities, Anugbum Onuoha, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Edo, said the engagement was to educate and raise awareness among Persons With Disabilities and the electoral officers on the use and deployment of the assistive devices during election.
Onuoha, represented by Emmanuel Ogbodu, Administrative Secretary, INEC, Edo State, noted that the initiative would provide meaningful accommodation of persons with disabilities, enabling them to fully exercise their right to vote and contribute to the democratic process.
He opined that democracy cannot succeed without the inclusion of registered voters that are willing to exercise their constitutional rights and franchise.
In his remarks, Osahon Woghiren, Edo State director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged the electoral officers to also enlighten all the adhoc staff that would be working with them on the need to ensure that all the technology put in place for the PWDs to successfully cast their votes are appropriately put into use.
Woghiren also urged the Heads of PWDs clusters to pass the knowledge gained to their members on the need for them to come out on the election day to vote as the necessary modalities would be put in place by INEC to ensure that they exercise their franchise with ease.
On her part, Ann Ojugo, Edo State chairman of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), commended INEC for the programme, noting that the adequate deployment and usage of the assistive materials would help them to cast their votes without hindrances.
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Ojugo urged the Commission to also educate the ad-hoc staff on how best to relate with PWDs, noting that some of the staff are not friendly with PWDs on the election period.
She, however, promised that JONAPWD would collaborate with the INEC for a successful election.
In her speech, Habiba Abdulkadeem Jatto, deputy director, Inclusivity, INEC, Abuja said the engagement was to sensitise electoral officers in the 18 local government areas and PWDs especially the visually and hearing impaired persons on the use of Braille Ballot Guide, Poster EC 30 PWD, magnifying glasses and form EC 40H series for the governorship election.
According to her, election should be open and accessible to all eligible voters, including those with disabilities to ensure that they have equal access to the voting process and can exercise their democratic rights unhindered.
“Similarly, inclusive electoral process provides an opportunity to raise awareness on the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities, hence, election officials can gain insight into how to improve accessibility and inclusivity in the future election,” she added.
Jatto, however, posited that INEC is committed to providing full and equal access to all eligible citizens, regardless of their physical condition in the discharge of its mandate of conducting free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections.
She urged the staff of the commission in the state to do everything with its mandate on inclusion to ensure active participation of the PWDs, especially the visually and hearing impaired, in the election.
