CVR: PWDs tasks INEC on accessibility

The Access Nigeria Campaign led by the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to facilitate the physical registration of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise across the country.

The Executive Director, IFA, Grace Jerry, made the call on Wednesday in the ‘First Observation Statement’ on the CVR exercise in Anambra State and other parts of the country.

• PODCAST: The Weird Things Nigerians Do For Drugs
• A week of COVID-19: Buhari risk; vaccine hoarding; repurposing drugs

According to her, while the Access Nigeria Campaign commends INEC on the efforts it has made so far to ensure that PWDs can engage in the CVR exercise, the reported challenges should be acted upon to deepen participation of PWDs in the exercise.

“The provision of mobile ramps at the registration centres to aid mobility of PWDs who are on wheel chairs. Alternatively, the registration points in the centres should be located at areas that do not have staircases as this will immediately eliminate the difficulty faced by PWDs who use crutches or wheel chairs.

“Additionally, the internal layout of all registration centres should be made spacious enough for all categories of PWDs to move freely without barriers during the CVR. The provision of PWD specific instruction posters as this will assist hearing impaired registrants and other PWDs who visit the registration centres,” the report said.

The report also urged INEC to collaborate with the deaf association of Nigeria Anambra State and other chapters across the country to ensuring that sign language interpreters are stationed across the 21 LGAs to ease 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 centres. 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,” she added.