By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Nov 14, GNA – Some persons living with disabilities (PwDs), drawn from Zongo communities in Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies, have participated in a training workshop to enhance their knowledge on the country’s electoral processes.
The initiative dubbed: “Engage and Dialogue: Educating Zongo/Special Communities on Electoral Process for Election 2024”, was aimed at bridging information gap and addressing challenges that might hinder meaningful community participation in the electoral processes.
Members of the Ghana Blind Union, Ghana Association of Persons with Disability and the Society of the Physically Disabled in Ghana, which constituted the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), attended the training workshop.
It formed part of the Inclusive Elections and Accountable Governance Project being implemented by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) in partnership with STAR Ghana Foundation and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The project is aimed at fostering inclusive democratic engagement by educating and empowering community members on electoral processes, voter rights, and the need to uphold their civic responsibility.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, speaking during the training, said the project was designed to promote active and informed participation in the upcoming elections amongst residents of Zongo communities.
She said it was to equip participants to educate other members of their communities on the importance of voting and their rights as citizens to ensure fair and safe election experience.
She urged PwDs to come out in their numbers to vote peacefully without any fear and intimidation.
Mrs Nimatu Shahadatu Abubakari, Northern Regional President of GFD underscored need for the Electoral Commission to ensure that polling stations were accessible enough to enable, especially the physically disabled to use their wheelchairs and tricycles at the venue.
She expressed the need to ensure letters and photographs on the ballot were bold and clear to help people with albinism to see well and vote accordingly.
She called for sign language interpreters during the elections to help people with hearing impairment to vote effectively.
Mrs Aisha Adam, Northern Regional Vice President of the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism commended SWIDA-Ghana and partners for the training and appealed to stakeholders to ensure PwDs participated in the upcoming polls.
GNA