Give Electoral Access To People With Disabilities, US Tells FG

By Hamisu Kabir Matazu

The United States Government has urged the Nigerian Government to provide electoral access to People with Disabilities (PWD) in Nigeria.

US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, made the call in Abuja Thursday while addressing newsmen after a courtesy visit to the chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa.

“They (disabled) need to have a voice; and to have a voice, you need to have access to polling stations and have to be appropriate for people with visual impairment for example.

READ ALSO: CCD, TAF, other CSO want media support for citizen driven electoral amendment bill

“United States believes strongly that no society or country succeeds unless all its members are able to fully participate. That’s why we came to talk to them on some of our programmes dealing with disable” she said.

On his part, Kangiwa said it was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to ensure the disability community enjoyed inclusiveness.

He said Buhari had demonstrated this by signing the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill 2018.