National Coordinator, Journalists for Disability Inclusion (J4DI), Comrade, Emmanuel Ogbeche has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create specific registration centres for persons with disability (PWD) to promote inclusion.
Comrade Ogbeche said this at the public presentation of the certificate of incorporation of the Journalists For Development Initiative (J4DI) which had Dr Jummai Ahmedu, Chief, Sunday Ukachukwu amongst others as its trustees.
Ogbeche said the Commission showed that 67,000 Persons With Disability (PWD) have registered with the Commission, pointing out that the figure could be inferior compared to those who wanted to register but are careful over the huge turnout of people for the continuous voters’ registration exercise.
His words: “For example, if you look at some of the financial institutions, there are no ramps to show that they are sensitive to persons with disability, It is a disadvantage for people with disabilities. So there is a need for special centres designated within those centres’ existence exclusively for persons with disability.
“When you are talking about 2023, you want inclusion and we talk about 67,000 Plus just registered recently after the last count, if you look at the IMEC data, there is the possibility that among persons with disability that have not been able to register.
They cannot join in the pushing, so creating a point at a distance for them. so we are making an appeal to INEC, to consider setting up special exclusive offices for the community of persons with disabilities.
Founder of Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, who midwife the process of the J4DI said he was glad that the entity has taken the shape to invest in media works on the advocacy to sensitize and empower the Nigerian population with laws and policies that would guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities and better their activities within the Nigerian political and geographical space.
He emphasized the need for capacity building among members of J4DI to be able to report the issues of inclusion which would be their major preoccupation going forward.
President of the Nigerian Association Of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Ladi Bala, who commended the initiative said the role of Journalists was critical in reinforcing the rights of persons with disabilities.
She maintained that ignoring the rights and dignity of persons with disability by merely carrying along as a nation without deliberate efforts to promote inclusion stripped the nation of its pride and called on all and sundry to play their role to promote inclusion in the country.
Her words: When we talk about inclusion, you talk about development and then particular demography of the society is being pushed away, is not being recognised, their rights are not being recognised, their dignity, you know, is not even fair. It is a sad narrative.
“That is not a development society that is not a society that we all should be proud of. Journalism is a calling because aside from the priests, and preachers, the next people that I believe that God has saddled with the responsibility of changing the mindset of people of mobilising people for a noble cause are journalists.
“Journalists are the channels because we are neither here nor there, we are in the middle. What we do is to galvanize the whole society for a common cause,” Comrade Bala stated.
She said the society would be waiting to see as the group changes the narrative on national inclusion.
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Create special registration points for PWDs… Create special registration points for PWDs…
and then