Ahead of the November 16th governorship election in Ondo, the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), a non-governmental organisation (ngo), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish a process that would enable persons with disabilities (PWD) to vote without any stress.
On Wednesday, the Director of Programmes of IFA, Molly Joshua, stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and urged the commission to use flat-surface venues as polling units for easy accessibility to persons with disabilities.
While noting that PWDs should be given priority and allowed to vote upon arrival at the polling units, he said braille ballot guides should be made available and categorised as sensitive materials.
He said, “INEC should ensure polling units are accessible by choosing flat, barrier-free venues. The commission should mandate polling officials to fill out Persons with Disabilities Form EC40H to collect vital data, aiding future planning and cost-efficiency.
“INEC should implement priority voting for Persons with Disabilities upon their arrival at polling units. Classify and deploy the Braille ballot guide as a sensitive material to ensure deployment, timely availability, and usage by Polling Officials.
“We call on the commission to maintain strong coordination with security agencies, prominently post-Form EC30E PWD Election Day instructions at polling units in a visible area to enable efficient usage of the form.
“INEC should position ballot boxes to allow Persons with Disabilities to cast votes independently and sustain engagement with the Persons with Disabilities community, IFA, and relevant organisations to enhance accessibility.
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