By: Peter Agengre
Persons living with visual impairment in the Nabdam District in the Upper East Region have been encouraged to come out in their numbers to cast their votes on election day without any fear of intimidation.
The Nabdam District Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission (EC) at a training in Kongo, sensitized the visually impaired on how to use tactile jacket to vote in the forthcoming general election. This is expected to serve as a guide and to enhance their civic responsibility so that they can make a choice in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
The District Electoral Officer, Musah Asabigi indicated that, “the disability will have to be given the opportunity to also exercise their franchise. That means nobody would be left out for people to choose their leaders for them. It is to ensure that people with visual impairment are able to easily identify and vote for candidates of their choices. So the disability is allowed to make a decision by themselves.”
Mr. Asabigi also advised that, “even though you may be going to the polling station with your guide, it is appropriate for you to choose your preferred candidate by yourself using the tactile jacket instead of asking your guide to help you vote.”
He told the twenty five participants drawn from Kongo and its surrounding communities in the Nabdam District. However, Mr. Asabigi added that the visually impaired persons could participate in the general election with the help of a relative or polling officers at post if they could not use the tactile jacket to vote after informing the returning officer.
Electoral materials including ballot papers have already arrived in the Upper East Region as Ghana prepares to go to the polls on December 7 to elect the next President and their Members of Parliament as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.
