Comply with Disability Act when deploying ad hoc staff for elections, analyst tells INEC

Jide Ojo, a public affairs analyst, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement section 38 of the discrimination against persons with disabilities (prohibition) act while deploying ad hoc staff for election.

The discrimination against persons with disabilities (prohibition) act 2018, makes it mandatory for public institutions to have at least five percent of employees who are PWDs.

Speaking on Friday during a Twitter space organised by Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Ojo said the electoral umpire should include PWDs while recruiting ad hoc staff.

“When you are conducting training for ad hoc staff, give us the opportunity to also participate in coming to assist with the training, particularly as it regards how to mainstream persons with disability in the electoral process,” he said.

“There is the provision of 5 percent in terms of employment—we don’t know if INEC followed through by ensuring that 5 percent of the over 1.5 million ad hoc staff that were recruited ahead of the 2023 general election were persons with disabilities.

“The disability act says 5 percent of all employees should be reserved for persons with disabilities. Persons with albinism, those on crutches can still serve as presiding officers, and assistant presiding officers.”

Citing section 54 of the electoral act 2022, Ojo said INEC is required by the law to provide “assistive devices” for PWDs during elections.

He also said the concession given to PWDs to encourage their participation in politics didn’t make a significant impact.

“The flip side of not paying (full cost of the form) is that they are also using that to blackmail the PWDs. So when you win primaries they tell you to step down for a more able person who is more financially resourceful,” he said.

“So when they give you with the right hand they take it with the left. And then, when you look at it, the expression of interest (form) alone that was paid, look at the APC, the expression of interest form was N30 million and the nomination form was N70 million.:

The public affairs analyst advised PWDs to focus on state and LGAs rather than at the national level.

Stephen Idoko, programme manager at IFA, said INEC pledged to deploy PWDs as ad hoc staff, but analysis indicates that the commission did not meet the five percent mark.