Persons With Disabilities Urge INEC To Improve Access To Voting Centres

The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Taraba State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create more inclusive measures that would enable persons with disabilities to participate in the electoral process without hardship.

The association said, special consideration should be given to persons with disabilities to prevent them from being subjected to undue stress at polling units during elections.

The state chairman of the association, Mr. Ali Mstudi Tenrika, who spoke with LEADERSHIP on the plight of its members, commended Governor Agbu Kefas, for appointing 12 persons with disabilities as aides, as well as engaging others in the state civil service.

He, however, noted that despite provisions in the electoral law that prioritise persons with disabilities during voting, the practice is hardly observed at the polling units.

“Considering our condition, persons with disabilities should be allowed to vote first, even before pregnant women and the elderly.

“Unfortunately, this provision is hardly observed at polling units. While the law supports it, the practice is often different from what the law said,” he said.

Tenrika urged INEC and political actors to intensify efforts to ensure that the provisions of the Electoral Act concerning persons with disabilities are fully implemented.

“With the new Electoral Act, politicians and INEC should ensure strict compliance with these provisions. If our members are given the opportunity and the law is respected, persons with disabilities will come out en masse to vote,” he added.

He also lamented that many persons with disabilities are often unable to cast their votes despite their enthusiasm to participate in elections.

“All we want is to exercise our franchise and not to be subjected to suffering at polling units from morning till evening,” he said.

Tenrika further appealed to INEC to consider providing mobility support for persons with disabilities on election days, noting that movement restrictions during elections make it difficult for them to access to polling units.

“The challenge of moving from home to the polling unit is a major issue. Sometimes, ballot boxes are placed in locations that are difficult for our members to access,” he said.

He disclosed that the association has about 10,000 members across the state and noted that politicians seeking the support of persons with disabilities should consider supporting initiatives that would assist them during elections.

“If these restrictions continue, it will discourage our people from coming out to vote. Across all communities and in the 16 local government areas, INEC needs to create avenues that will enable our members to easily access polling units and cast their votes,” he said.

Tenrika, who is also Chairman, Taraba State Disability Commission, said the condition of persons with disabilities in the state was pitiful before the administration of Governor Kefas.

“In Taraba State, we are grateful that the present administration has provided employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the civil service and created a platform for us to operate.

“But like Oliver Twist, we still ask for more. More of our members should be employed, while those who are uneducated should be empowered through skill acquisition programmes to enable them become self-reliant,” he said.

The Public Relations Officer of INEC in Taraba State, Mr. Mathias Bandawa, said the commission has a clear guidelines and procedures, aimed at assisting persons with disabilities during elections.

Mr. Bandawa explained that from the 2011 general elections to the last polls in 2023, INEC has introduced several measures to support voters with disabilities, including braille ballot guides for the visually impaired, hearing aids, special voting arrangements, ramps and magnifying glasses.

On the ongoing voter registration exercise, he added that the commission has also incorporated special features in its registration machines to accommodate persons with disabilities.