The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) says it will introduce sign languages and communication techniques that will aid the full participation of people living with disabilities in the 2019 general elections.
Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, a Federal INEC Commissioner and Chairman, partnership and outreach committee of the INEC stated this in Lokoja on Friday.
Ogunmola who spoke at the opening of a one-day capacity building workshop on communication skills for desk officers in charge of people living with disabilities said that it was part of moves to ensure all inclusiveness in the electoral process.
He identified lack of detailed and comprehensive data of people living with disabilities based on their disabilities, inaccessibility of some public places designated as polling units and inadequate number of trained personnel to interface with disabled persons on Electoral issues as some of the identified challenges but said that the Electoral body was determined to address these.
Ogunmola listed introduction of sign language interpretation on INEC programmes like Electoral half hour and message at collation centres for election results as parts of steps to achieve this.
According to him, the INEC is also working towards prevailing on political parties to mainstream people living with disabilities into party decision making process and leadership.
In addition, he said that the Organisation will as a matter of deliberate policy embark on recruitment of persons living with disabilities into the INEC and come up with a broad policy framework on electoral plans for them and other special group of stakeholders.
The Federal Electoral Commission expressed the determination of the INEC to deepen the participation of the people living with disabilities in the electoral process, urging participants to come up with suggestions to aid this.
“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,” he said.
Also speaking, another Federal INEC Commissioner, Mrs May Agbamuche said that the electoral body will introduce form EC40H to capture information and statistics of people living disabilities in readiness for dirtier elevtions.
Agbamuche stated further that magnifying glasses to aid participation of visual impaired , including albinism will also be introduced to enhance people living with disabilities inclusion into all the aspects of the electoral process.
Mrs Dorothy Bello, the INEC Deputy Director in charge of civil society liaison said that the orksop was organized to build the capacity of the participants to relate and communicate effectively with disable people in acceptable manner in the discharge of their duties.
She said that workshop was coming at a time when preparations were in to gear for governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, saying that the knowledge and experience to be shared at the workshop will guide the participants to interact effectively with disabled people before and during the elections.
“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 other to deepen our democracy,” She said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof James Apam called on participants to take the workshop seriously, saying it was part of efforts being made to conduct a free, fair and acceptable elections in future.
Participants were drawn from the INEC offices in the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory.
