A disability-focused organisation, TAF Africa, says it will deploy 150 observers, including about 50 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), to monitor participation and inclusion of PWDs during the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The Assistant Programme Manager of TAF Africa, George Anwayi, disclosed this in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a voter education programme tagged “Able2Vote Community Outreach for PWDs in Ekiti State.”
Anwayi said the initiative formed part of the organisation’s efforts to mobilise PWDs for active participation in the electoral process and reduce voter apathy.
According to him, the programme, supported by the European Union, was held across the three senatorial districts of the state to encourage PWDs to participate in the election and broader political activities, including seeking elective and party leadership positions.
“Our Able2Vote campaign is focused on sensitising and enlightening PWDs on their rights to participate in elections and encouraging them to take part in choosing leaders that will promote development and disability inclusion,” he said.
Speaking on the deployment of election observers, Anwayi said the exercise would assess the level of participation of PWDs and evaluate compliance with electoral guidelines designed to support them.
He said the observers would monitor issues such as access to Form EC40H, availability of assistive devices, priority voting arrangements, and security concerns affecting PWDs at polling units.
“We want to know whether PWDs are coming out to vote and whether election officials are providing the support mechanisms put in place for them,” he said.
Anwayi added that findings from the observation exercise would be documented and shared with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen future electoral processes and improve disability inclusion.
He said TAF Africa was also collaborating with INEC on sensitisation, mobilisation and deployment of sign language interpreters to selected polling units where voters with hearing impairments are registered.
According to him, the organisation also supports PWDs with training to enable them to contest elective offices at various levels.
Anwayi urged INEC to strengthen training for ad-hoc staff to improve their understanding of how to support PWDs during elections.
“One of the challenges identified from previous feedback is inadequate knowledge among some ad-hoc staff on attending to PWDs at polling units.
“There should also be adequate deployment of assistive devices in line with the categories of PWDs registered in each polling unit,” he said.
Also speaking, the General Secretary of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Ekiti State chapter, Femi Oni, commended TAF Africa for its intervention and commitment to advancing the interests of PWDs in the state.
(NAN)
