PWDs wants INEC to consider members for PVC collection

Ini Billie, Uyo

Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to give special consideration to its members during the collection of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC).

Citing the National Disability Act and INEC Framework on PWDs, Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Mr David Anyaele, urged INEC to ensure equal voting access to PWDs, and security agencies to ensure they provide security in the 2023 elections so its members and every registered voter can participate freely in the electoral process.

“We are calling on the INEC to improve on the successes recorded in Osun State to ensure equal voting access for persons with disabilities.

“People with disabilities should be encouraged to go for early collection of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) even as we request for priority considerations in line with the provisions of the National Disability Act and INEC Framework on PWDs.

“We are also calling on the security agencies to push back this ugly scenario as the 2023 general elections provide an important opportunity for each and every registered voter to decide his or her future. No one should be left behind in the electoral process by reason of insecurity,” he stated.

Speaking at the weekend in Uyo in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022, Anyaele commended INEC for implementing the framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process, saying there is relative improvement in terms of inclusion and access to the electoral process in the last election the commission conducted.

He, however, regretted that less than 83 days to the 2023 general elections, political parties and their candidates have failed to include issues that are critical to the disability community in their manifestos as they campaign across the country.

“This is indicative that the in-coming government may struggle to prioritize inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in government programs and activities as their operational documents do not indicate how citizens with disabilities would be part of the government,” he said.

The Executive Director commended State Governments who have adopted the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 or passed disability laws in their states, noting that five states in the North Central and North West, four in the South West, two each in the South East and South-South, and one in the North East have a law that protects their citizens with disabilities.

He called on Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ogun, Osun, Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Rivers, Taraba, and Yobe state governments to adopt the Disability Act to protect their citizens without delay.

He however lamented that the none prioritization of disability issues in the budgetary provisions by 16 Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for disability affairs in the country showed that the Federal and State Governments are doing little or nothing to ensure the full implementation of the disability law.

“This is made worse in States with a disability commission with little or no resources for operations, turning them into institutions of begging. Therefore, if the governments are not implementing disability laws in the land, who will protect the rights of PWDs?

“We call on members of the Federal and States House of Assembly to demand the budgetary provisions and activities from all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies for the full implementation of the Disability Law,” he noted.