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How INEC plans to involve PWDs in 2019 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it would employ sign languages and communication techniques to aid full participation of People-Living With Disabilities (PWD) in the next General elections in 2019.

According to the National Commissioner and Chairman, Partnership and Outreach Committee, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, employing sign language experts is part of efforts to ensure the PWDs are not prevented from exercising their democratic rights in the forthcoming elections.

Dr Ogunmola said this in Lokoja, during a workshop “Communication Skills for Desk Officers in Charge of People Living with Disabilities’’, stated that INEC is also working to influence political parties in including People-Living-With-Disabilities in party decision-making process and leadership.

“As a responsive institution, INEC appreciates the importance of inclusive electoral process, thus, its commitment to open up the electoral space for citizens, including People-Living-With-Disabilities.”

The Commission would also recruit PWDs into INEC and provide them with special policy framework and electoral plans, which would include other special stakeholders.

The Commissioner expressed INEC’s determination to deepen the participation of the persons in the electoral processes, urging participants to come up with suggestions to aid this.

Another INEC commissioner, Mrs. May Agbamuche, said the electoral body is set to introduce Form EC40H to capture information and statistics of PLWDs in readiness for the elections.

Mrs. Agbamuche stated that visually-impaired, including Albinos, will be provided with magnifying glasses to aid inclusion and participation in the electoral process.

INEC Deputy Director, Civil Society Liason, Mrs. Dorothy Bello, acknowledge that the workshop was organized to effectively communicate and build the capacity of PWDs on how to discharge their electoral duties.

According to Mrs. Bello, the workshop was timely, given that Ekiti and Osun States would be having their Governorship elections soon.

“As desk officers, we need to be well-equipped and trained on how to use better language when communicating with People-Living-With-Disabilities in order to deepen our democracy,” she added.

During the last Governorship Elections in Edo State, 72 PWDs were trained as Elections obesrvers.

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