PVC registration: Create exclusive centres for PWDs, J4DI tells INEC

Disturbed by reports of stampede, shoving and long queues at permanent voter registration centres, the Journalists for Disability inclusion, J4DI, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to create special Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, centres for Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, to promote inclusivity.
National Coordinator of the association, Emmanuel Ogbeche, made the call at a consultative stakeholders meeting, Thursday, in Abuja.
The meeting seeks to build strategic road map to have an inclusive society devoid of discrimination for PWDs in the country.
He said, “There is a need for special centers or designated slots within centres in existence exclusively for persons with disability. Because when you’re talking about 2023, we want inclusion. We are talking about 67,000 plus (Persons With Disability) just registered recently.
“If you look at the INEC data, there is the possibility that among Persons With Disability, there are individuals that have not been able to register. So, we are making an appeal to INEC to consider setting up special centres for Persons With Disability”.
He also noted that most buildings of financial institutions in Abuja, especially those of banks, were not disability inclusive as they have no ramps, but only staircases with no support system for PWDs.
He said that it was high time journalists work to enhance the inclusion of PWDs by, firstly, understanding the Disabilities Act, and other policies regarding disability.
On his part, president and founder of The Albino Foundation, Jake Epelle, said “We are so proud of all of the work that many of you have done to see that history has suddenly become a reality, but a lot more has to be done.
“Please leverage on the platforms that we have created, access that we have been able to create, partners and very high profile individuals that we know to push the work further.
“Prepare yourself, get ready, and get on with the job, a lot more has to be done to project what you do, many of your media houses need to ensure that you give visibility to this worthy cause,” he said.
Also speaking, the President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Ladi Bala, congratulated the journalists for putting up such a group to beam the searchlight on the plight of PWDs in Nigeria.
Bala urged J4DI to bring more people on board in order to enlighten the public on PWD inclusion and the need to dispel stigmatisation among others.
She called on the journalists to build their capacities and be abreast with issues around PWDs in order to report them better.