By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, March 16, GNA – Mr Charles Nyante, Director of Operations at African Disability Institute, has appealed to Members of Parliament (MPs), particularly from the Volta and Oti regions, to keep faith with their promises during the 2024 elections to persons with disabilities.
He said MPs pledged to keep a closer collaboration with persons with disabilities and champion their inclusion in electoral processes and national development discourse.
Mr Nyante, said this during an end of “Inclusive Election Project Evaluation Meeting with stakeholders in Ho.
The seven-month project, supported by STAR Ghana Foundation was funded from the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
The project targeted officials of Electoral Commission (EC) and Regional/Constituency Executives of NDC and NPP in 10 districts – six in the Volta region and four in the Oti region, to foster inclusive electoral processes for persons with disabilities.
Direct beneficiaries were persons with disabilities, particularly women and youth, as well as those living in Zongos and deprived communities.
Mr Nyante said the project has enabled over 30 persons with disabilities to be encouraged by EC offices in the target districts as Polling Assistants at the polls on December 7, 2024.
He said development priorities from persons with disabilities from the Volta and Oti regions were collected and presented to parliamentary candidates at the time, “and there is evidence that most of the priorities were factored into the constituency development plans of the elected MPs for implementation. “
Participants, including some persons with disabilities confirmed that polling stations were accessible for voters with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant women.
However, they entreated the EC to activate protocols to make polling booths accessible to all persons with disabilities in future elections, particularly for wheelchair users to easily participate in the voting process without support from EC officials.
Mr Johnson Akafia, Volta Regional Director of EC, promised to prioritise the roadmap arrived at the close of the engagement to guide their future protocols for persons with disabilities, adding that their Disability Desks were well positioned to help in the discourse.
“Every election cycle triggers a betterment of the processes, and this evaluation outcome would help EC to factor more accessible measures into the EC protocols for persons with disabilities, going forward.”
The representatives of both the ruling National Democratic Congress and the opposition New P said their respective parties have established Disability Desks for better inclusion of the needs of persons with disabilities before and after the election.
GNA
MA/LAA