From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Olayemi of TAF and Momohjimoh of NUJ
Ahead of November 11 governorship election, in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states, TAF Africa, a Non-governmental Organisation, has pleaded that People With Disabilities (PWDs) should be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise of voting for candidates of their choice at the various polling units.
The NGO also called for inclusive reportage of People With Disabilities in the task of carrying out their human activities be it politics or other human endeavours.
The Programmes Manager, TAF Africa, Samuel Olayemi, who made the plea when he led members of his organisation on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Adeiza Momojimoh, also demanded that Journalists should help in propagation of protection of the rights of People With Disabilities in Nigeria.
Olayemi in his speech “Warned of discrimination against PWDs, called for increased awareness about their personalities, offering them equal opportunity by Journalists in reportage as well as use of decent language in reporting them and carrying them along in the scheme of things such as participation in politics and appointments into juicy positions”
Responding, Momoh-Jimoh commended the NGO for accomplishing its task with success stories and promised the commitment of his members in collaborating with TAF Africa towards their upliftment in life.
He called on other organizations, such as INEC to join the NGO in the concerted efforts to ensure increased inclusion of PWDs in the electoral process and other aspects of national development to enable them exercise their civic responsibility for the country.
