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By Madu Obi
Electoral bodies have been asked to remove the barriers hindering Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, from voting and participating effectively in the democratic process.
The Anambra State chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, while speaking during their meeting at Abagana, Njikoka local government area of the state, specifically urged the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, to ensure that PWDs cast their votes without hindrance during the September 28 local government election in the state.
Okeke pleaded with ANSIEC to give priority attention to his members because they desirous to vote during the election and condemned the practice of placing ballot boxes where it would be difficult for PWDs to access.
He also complained about the incessant harassment of persons helping PWDs with means of transportation on the election day by security agents, arguing that in every democratic setting, the essence of holding elections is to give a voice to every citizen and ensure that diverse interests were represented.
The chairman also advocated for the implementation of measures to support the full integration of PWDs into the democratic system, citing the importance of their voices and perspectives in decision-making processes.
Responding, the representatives of ANSIEC, Emeka Okeke, who is in charge of Research and Publications; and Patience Ikeagu, Director of Logistics, said the commission is committed to ensuring that PWDs have equal access to the electoral process so that they can exercise their voting rights without barriers.
“We have the interest of the PWDs at heart because the fact that somebody is physically challenged does not mean that he or she cannot contribute to decision-making in the society.
For the local government election, we have planned to ensure that voting materials are made accessible to PWDs. We have also agreed in our meetings that both the pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as the physically challenged, would have a special line and must first be allowed to cast their votes at every polling unit.
We have not planned to marginalize anybody and our intention is to ensure PWDs participate fully, even if they had never participated in the process before.
We have also given out instructions that anybody with physical disability whose name is on the voters register should be allowed to vote and they will be given priority attention,” they said
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