By Marusie Dumbuya Esq.
As the country moves towards greater inclusion, a cross-section of management staff from the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) paid a working visit to the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone at the Commission’s headquarters in Freetown on Thursday, 2 October 2025, to further strengthen their relationship.
In his statement, Chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disability, Brima Abdulai Sheriff, appreciates ECSL’s efforts toward disability inclusion. He articulated his vision of networking with key stakeholders to promote awareness and dismantle the systemic barriers that have long marginalized persons with disabilities (PWDs) from full participation in electoral processes.
“PWDs are most of the time challenged to participate fully in electoral processes due to the barriers, polling centers are largely not accessible, and the level of awareness is low”, he lamented.
The NCPD Chairman urged ECSL’s leadership to deepen their institutional relationship, emphasizing that the Commission possesses technical expertise on disability issues that ECSL can leverage to change the narrative.
He pleaded for PWDs to be recruited not only as polling agents but also as permanent staff members, in accordance with the Persons with Disability Act. “Training for polling officers must be inclusive,” he stressed, highlighting the need for comprehensive capacity building across all levels of electoral administration.
Sheriff concluded by sharing his PRIDE vision, a framework designed to guide the Commission’s strategic interventions in advancing the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities across various sectors.
Responding to the concerns, ECSL Acting Chairman and Chief Commissioner Edmond Sylvester Alpha described the engagement as both inspiring and sobering. “The visit of the Commission serves as a source of inspiration and reminds me that we need to do more,” he acknowledged.
He emphasized that ECSL is committed to inclusion and has been actively working to ensure that all institutional policies incorporate disability rights. “We have an entire department for disability-related matters,” he revealed, signaling the Commission’s structural commitment to addressing accessibility concerns.
The Acting Chairman highlighted several concrete steps ECSL has taken to advance inclusion, noting that the Commission has established disability working groups in all districts nationwide and is implementing infrastructural adaptations to enhance accessibility. “We have already procured a lift and created a disabled-friendly toilet to adapt the head office to make it more accessible,” he reaffirmed.
Recognizing the need for formalized collaboration, he maintained that both institutions should develop a memorandum of understanding to guide their partnership, strengthen coordination, and deepen their relationship.
The Acting Chairman stated that, as a demonstration of the Commission’s commitment to collaborating with the Commission and promoting inclusivity, the Commission has been co-opted into the Political Parties Liaison Committee to facilitate effective participation.
Other individuals present at the meeting were NCPD’s Executive Secretary, Saa Kortequee, and Mawsuie P. I Dumbuya Esq., ICO Manager, Aminata Kelly, HR Manager, and ECSL’s Abubakar Koroma, Commissioner North, Alex Saffa, Commissioner South, and Gladys John, Deputy Executive Secretary.
As Sierra Leone prepares for future electoral cycles, the collaboration between NCPD and ECSL will be critical in ensuring that no citizen is left behind.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 6th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
