NGO Rallies Security Agencies Towards Inclusive Voting for PWDs

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), The All-Rights Foundation (TAF Africa) has rallied operatives of the Anambra command of Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to enforce the rights of People With Disabilities (PWDs) during the forthcoming elections.

The foundation at a two-day workshop sponsored by European Union (EU) called for the collaboration of security operatives who will be working during the November 8 governorship election in Anambra, to ensure that PWDs voted with ease.

Senior Communications Officer of TAF Africa, Lynn Agwuncha, who was one of the resource persons, insisted that it was a right and not a place of pity to accord PWDs the right to vote with ease.

Agwuncha, while presenting a paper, said: “We as Nigerians are usually compassionate, and most times during elections we see people who out of compassion would let PWDs to vote before them, because they pity their condition.”

“But I want to tell you today that even though that is good, PWDs should not get that out of pity, but because it is their right. Section 54 of electoral act makes it a right for People With Disabilities to be attended to outside the queue, so it is not about pity, but about a place of right.”

“They should enjoy priority voting and go home. They arrive the voting centre, walk up to the poll officials and introduce themselves, and they are allowed to vote and go home.”

“We have cases where security operatives have stopped a person with disability from driving into the polling centre, knowing full well that they can not walk without such aid. That is why we are holding this workshop, so that you as security agents will know that it’s is the right of this PWDs.

“We are here to educate you on this, so that even when poll officials fail to acknowledge this right, you as security operatives working during election can correct them from the point of knowledge.”

The workshop also featured paper presentation by Senior Programme Officer of TAF Africa, Mr George Anwayi on Bridging security agencies and the disability community for inclusive electoral participation in Anambra.

The workshop was attended by operatives of the police, NSCDC including their heads, and heads of disability clusters, led by Chairman of Joint National Association of People With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Mr Ugochukwu Okeke.