By Musa Baba Adamu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to make its ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) accessible to Nigerians classified as Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
This was handed down by Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) in conjunction with the Anambra State chapter of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
A statement issued by Grace Jerry, the Executive Director, IFA, indicates that the CSO came to this conclusion after observing conduct of the CVR in Anambra state.
It said the conduct of the Observation was carried out with technical and financial support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the statement, the IFA led Access Nigeria Campaign is observing the CVR process to document the experience of PWDs with a view to making recommendations that will assist INEC make future CVR processes more accessible for PWDs.
It said while it commends INEC on its efforts there was need for some identified barriers against PWDs to be removed.
It said locating registration points in the centers at areas without staircases would eliminate difficulties faced by PWDs who use crutches or wheel chairs.
It further recommended that the internal layout of all registration centers should be made spacious enough for all categories of PWDs to move freely without barriers during the CVR.
It also said the provision of PWDs specific instruction posters would assist hearing impaired registrants and other PWDs who visit the registration centers.
It said: “Access Nigeria Campaign recommends that INEC should collaborate with the deaf association of Nigeria Anambra chapter in ensuring that sign language interpreters are stationed across the 21 LGAs of the state. This will ease the participation of PWDs who have a hearing impairment.
“INEC should increase collaboration with security agencies to ensure adequate deployment of their personnel to the registration centers. The presence of the security agencies will enhance the confidence of safety to PWDs which will, in turn, increase their participation.
“INEC should send commendation letters or messages to registration officers in Anambra State on the professional treatment of PWDs including priority registration and urge them to surpass this feat in the remainder of the CVR process, Registration officials in other parts of the country should be urged to emulate this.”
