The Nigeria National Association of the Deaf Youth Section (NNADYS) has offered solutions to challenges facing voters with disabilities in Nigeria during the 2023 general elections.
The offer was made in a pre-election dialogue and sensitization workshop held on 23rd February in FCT with 25 committed Nigerian Youths with disabilities.
The Youth section of NNAD said the sensitization workshop was to enlighten Nigerian Youths on the challenges faced by voters with disabilities during elections and factors responsible for low turnout of youths during elections.
“We discussed potential solutions to challenges identified as key tools for promoting effective participation of youths in accordance with the provisions of the amended Nigeria Electoral Act 2022 as well as politics and civic engagement.”
The workshop had stakeholders from the Nigerian Deaf Community who took participants on different topics relating to INEC reports, voting and voting rights. These stakeholders were, Hon Muhammad Haruna, Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) who represented Dr. Chidi Olujie, Executive President of the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD); Douglas Izuchukwu, Secretary of the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section (WFDYS); Jeremiah Umar, Special Adviser to the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Council as well as Amb. Ebuka Okeke, National Youth Leader of NNAD and Miss. Esther Abimbola, YALI RLC Alumnus.
To achieve an all-round inclusive electoral process, the group sensitized voters with disabilities on their rights using the Nigeria Disability Act 2018 and Electoral Act 2022 and urged them to sensitize others in their community with the view of fostering youths participation in political activities for a sustainable future.