The Ghana Federation of Disability is reminding the Electoral Commission (EC) of the challenges persons with disability will face during the limited voter registration.
In a release, the federation said the conduct of the exercise in the EC district offices is likely to exclude many of its members from participating in the exercise due to a number of challenges.
The federation’s concerns come on the heels of similar ones raised by some political parties and civil society organisations.
The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations says accessibility will be the major challenge members may encounter as most of the district offices of the EC offices are not accessible to persons with physical and other impairments. Another challenge it identified is communication.
The EC offices, the statement noted, like other state institutions, do not have sign language interpreters.
This will make it difficult for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing, as well as those who are deaf and blind, to communicate effectively with registration officials and to receive proper assistance during the registration process.
Also, some persons with disabilities may not have access to sufficient information about the registration exercise due to its location and how information is being disseminated, which can lead to confusion and frustration. For instance, initial awareness videos shown on television about the exercise did not have sign language interpretation to target the deaf community.
In the view of the Federation, proximity will also be a serious challenge, as many persons with disabilities may not be able to easily transport themselves and their assistants or assistive/mobility devices such as wheelchairs all the way from their immediate communities to the EC offices, not to mention afford the transportation costs.
The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations is therefore calling on the EC to, as a matter of urgency, put appropriate measures in place to address these challenges and to ensure that all persons with disabilities are able to participate effectively in the registration exercise in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Ghana Persons with Disability Act, and other Constitutional Instruments that seek to promote the inclusion of every citizen in the electoral process in Ghana.
It said the organisations of persons with disabilities stand ready to partner with the EC to provide technical support and advice for effective inclusion of all persons with disabilities in the registration exercise.