The Electoral Commission of Ghana in collaboration with the National Council on Persons with Disabilities has held a one-day training workshop on election observation for the disability community.

As part of its mandate to ensure that persons with disabilities actively participate in mainstream national activities, the National Council on Persons with Disability applied for accreditation status to enable persons with disabilities to be observers at the various polling stations in the coming elections.

As a requirement for the accreditation, the Electoral Commission organised the training for the participants, numbering over 100 from across the country.

The trainees were made up of the blind, the deaf, persons with autism, burn survivors and persons with physical disability; the Governing Board of National Council on Persons with Disability, some staff of the National Council on Persons with Disability and members of Ghana Federation of Disability organizations.

An official of the Electoral Commission, Fred Tetteh took the participants through the various electoral processes and laws, as well as their responsibilities as election observers.

He assured them that the Electoral Commission has made special arrangement for Persons with Disabilities to ensure that they cast their vote without any hindrance. One of such arrangements is the provision of Ballot Paper Template (BPT) to aid the blind.

Executive Secretary of National Council on Persons with Disability, Esther Akua Gyamfi advised the trainees to respect their status as election observers, exercising their civic right.

The National Council on Persons with Disability is the state agency mandated to coordinate disability matters in the country.