TAF Africa, a Non-Governmental Organisation championing disability inclusion, has advocated recruiting and deploying sign language interpreters as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The NGO made the call during a one-day Able-to-Vote sensitisation programme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) held on Tuesday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Speaking at the event, Dr Andrew Adaji, Programme Officer of TAF Africa said the move was aimed at ensuring inclusive elections and removing communication barriers faced by deaf voters at polling units.
Adaji said TAF Africa, as a disability-focused organisation, has been working to promote the participation of PWDs in the electoral process across several states including Nasarawa ahead of the general elections.
“What we are here to do is to sensitise persons with disabilities on their right to vote. The general election is coming, and we are moving around several communities and states interfacing with persons with disabilities on the need for them to come out and vote,” he said.
He disclosed that the organisation has been engaging INEC on institutionalising sign language interpreters at polling units.
He appreciated INEC for deploying sign language interpreters in three off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun and Anambra States.
He added that the organisation was also engaging INEC on general accessibility, including provision of magnifying glasses for voters with low vision and ensuring physical accessibility of polling units.
According to him, the sensitisation programme was also designed to harvest challenges faced by PWDs during elections, such as difficulty in accessing polling units due to restriction of movement.
“For me as an able-bodied person, I can trek a distance to my polling unit, but persons with disabilities will find that very difficult.
“We are engaging the Inspector-General of Police and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on this,” he said.
He further called on citizens to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act which guarantees priority voting for PWDs, the elderly and pregnant women.
“The Electoral Act specifies that persons with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women must be given priority voting.
“INEC officials are aware of that, but as citizens, we also need to comply. When we get to the polling unit and we have a special line for persons with disabilities, it is part of the law and we need to respect that,” Adaji added.
Also speaking, Osakede Solomon, former Secretary of the Joint Association of Persons With Disabilities in the state, appreciated the organisation for the sensitisation aimed at making the voting process easy for their members.
He added that their members are facing challenges ranging from accessibility and distance to polling units among others and urged INEC to engage interpreters and provide the necessary voting equipment for all categories of PWDs.
On her part, Hauwa Mohamed who is deaf and spoke through an interpreter, said they usually faced the problem of accessibility, language barrier, lack of assistive devices and stigmatisation from other members of the public.
She appealed to the commission to do the needful by providing all that would assist them at the polling units and members of the public not to discriminate against them because of their disabilities. (NAN).
