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2 dead, 1 hurt in Quezon road mishaps

A pedestrian and aa motorcyclist died while another pedestrian was injured in separate road accidents in Quezon province on Friday, according to the police.

In Tagkawayan town, two pedestrians walking along Quirino Highway in Barangay Sta. Cecilia were struck by a passing Bicol-bound truck at 9:50 a.m., according to a Quezon police report.

One of the victims, a male minor, was dragged about 15 meters from the point of impact and died at the scene from his injuries.

His companion, a 30-year-old woman, sustained injuries and was brought to hospital.

The truck driver was placed under police custody as investigators continued to determine the circumstances of the accident.

In a separate incident in Infanta town, a speeding motorcycle traveling in the opposite lane collided head-on with a tricycle in Barangay Batican at 6:15 p.m., police said.

The 53-year-old motorcycle rider sustained serious injuries and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital. The tricycle driver was unharmed.

HIMAP Awards 2026 to champion operational excellence and innovation across the Philippine HIMS Industry

As the Philippine healthcare information management services (HIMS) sector continues to grow and strengthen its global presence, recognizing the people and organizations driving its progress is essential to sustaining industry excellence. The HIMAP Awards 2026 will take place on November 6 at the Grand Ballroom A and B, Shangri-La The Fort, BGC, under the theme ‘HIMAYA: Championing and Celebrating Operational Brilliance in HIMS.’ The gala night will celebrate outstanding achievements, leadership, and contributions that continue to shape the industry’s growth and future.

Organized by the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP), the awards recognize organizations and individuals whose work advances industry standards, strengthens partnerships, and contributes to the continued development of the Philippine HIMS sector. Through this recognition, HIMAP seeks to encourage a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement across the industry.

The awards honor a range of achievements, from lifetime leadership and enduring membership commitment to industry partnerships, individual contributions, community development, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, talent management, business growth, and technological innovation.

‘Operational brilliance goes beyond business performance. It is reflected in the leadership that moves our industry forward, the partnerships that strengthen our capabilities, and the innovations that create lasting value. Through the HIMAP Awards, we champion the people and organizations setting new benchmarks for excellence and helping advance the Philippines as a leading global destination for HIMS,’ said JL Botor, President of HIMAP.

More than a celebration of achievements, the HIMAP Awards 2026 recognizes the collective efforts shaping a stronger and more competitive HIMS industry. By bringing industry leaders and partners together to honor these contributions, HIMAP aims to inspire continued progress and reinforce a shared commitment to the sector’s future.

About HIMAP

The Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP) is the premier industry association for the country’s healthcare information management and IT-BPM sector. HIMAP advances workforce development, policy, and market promotion, positioning the Philippines as a preferred global destination for healthcare services.

Tompolo rallies support for Tinubu in Ogun

Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has urged residents of Ogun State to support President Bola Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027, saying the administration’s economic reforms are attracting investors and stabilising the economy.

Tompolo, the Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, made the call on Friday during the inauguration of the movement’s Ogun State chapter in Abeokuta, where 26 campaign vehicles and other mobilisation materials were donated.

Represented by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services, Kestin Pondi, Tompolo commended Tinubu for what he described as bold policies that were restoring investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy.

He said the administration had addressed the perennial fuel scarcity that forced motorists to queue for hours at filling stations, while also recording progress in infrastructure development and the regular payment of salaries and pensions.

‘We have a president who said Nigeria must be better. Today, there is no more capital flight, investors are returning and the naira is stabilising.

‘Go everywhere and tell them that your son, your brother, your father must return to Aso Rock. Make them understand that he is the best. The reforms have no doubt come with challenges, but just like the challenges a woman in labour faces; she rejoices at the birth of her child. We shall all be happy,’ he said.

He maintained that countries that had attained economic development went through similar reform processes, expressing confidence that Nigeria would emerge stronger if the government sustained its policies.

‘Every developed country has gone through this path Tinubu is taking us through and came out stronger. Nigeria will come out stronger with the policies and reforms of Tinubu. Let us keep faith with him. He means well for Nigeria,’ he added.

Tompolo said the movement was in Ogun State to collaborate with other support groups to ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victories at all levels in the 2027 elections.

Also speaking, Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, commended the movement for its support, saying its activities would complement other efforts to mobilise voters for the president.

She said Ogun State was prepared to support Tinubu in appreciation of the benefits it had received from his administration’s policies and reforms.

Addressing the electorate, Salako-Oyedele cautioned against complacency, urging residents to come out and vote rather than assume that victory was already assured.

Tried and tested: Samsung Galaxy S26 FE

THE first thing I notice when holding the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE for the first time is how perfectly it fits in my hand. It has a 6.7-inch display and is quite ‘tall.’ Its thickness is at 7.4mm. The back has a glossy finish. Like all Samsung phones, the Samsung Galaxy FE feels premium, encased in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ and an aluminum alloy frame. It has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

As I am coming from using Samsung’s flagship devices, I immediately wanted to look at the difference in the FE’s 6.7′ display (2340 pixels with a 120Hz refresh rate). I like how big the display is and it was crisp and vivid. To be honest, it was not as bright as the S26 Ultra’s display. But with prices starting at P46,990 for the 8GB + 128GB model compared with the S26 Ultra’s P86,990, the S26 FE is looking good. Money is, after all, a serious consideration in these financially challenging times so if you want something reasonably priced without having to shell out nearly P100,000, you know the FE is a good deal. The other storage options for the FE are 256GB and 512GB.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, which comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, is powered by an Exynos 2500 chipset built on a 3nm process, an improvement from the 2025 processor. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE also has the latest versions of Android and One UI out of the box. It will also get Android support up to Android 24 (seven major updates).

The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a 4,900mAh typical battery capacity with support for 45W wired charging. The FE’s battery is higher than the Flip8’s 4,300 mAh and the Z Fold8’s 4,800 mAh, both of which last the whole day. The 4,900mAh means up to 29 hours on a single charge.

The Galaxy S26 FE features a triple rear camera setup and a single front-facing selfie camera, enhanced by Samsung’s ProVisual Engine and AI processing. The main camera is a 50MP wide sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization. The 12MP ultra-wide sits at f/2.2 for landscapes and group shots, and the 8MP telephoto adds 3x optical zoom with its own OIS and an f/2.4 aperture.

On the front, the upgraded 12MP selfie camera offers a wider view. At the core of the camera experience is the ProVisual Engine, designed to enhance image quality across different shooting conditions, including low light and distant subjects. The main camera also supports up to 8K video at 30fps and 4K video at 60fps for detailed, high-resolution footage.

As someone who has used Samsung’s flagship models for years now, I would describe the S26 FE’s camera as reliable and steady. To compare, the Galaxy S26 Ultra still takes amazing photos from the Upper Box and General Admission of Mall of Asia Arena and the S26 FE can shoot good concert photos from Lower Box. For a midrange phone, this is very much acceptable.

To be honest, while the camera of the S26 FE is reliable, if you are a frequent concertgoer buying a phone for this purpose I would advise you to get the S26 Ultra because you won’t always be seated in Lower Box. However, if you’re using your phone camera normally for everyday things, the S26 FE is enough.

It’s worth noting that the S26 FE has the My FanCam feature. This Galaxy AI video-editing feature turns wider group or concert recordings into tight, personalized solo tracking shots. This is very helpful for taking videos and shooting photos during concerts and events.

As for videos, daylight videos are fine. The nighttime videos can be a bit bright. The stabilization is quite good, so that is a bonus.

In terms of performance, I would say the Galaxy S26 FE was fast, smooth, and reliable except for a few lags here and there. The lags usually happen at the end of the day so is it safe to say that they occur when the phone is ‘overworked?’ Otherwise, the S26 FE’s performance was satisfactory.

I would recommend the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE to someone who’s looking for a good everyday phone. The models with the larger memory will allow you to do more things seamlessly, such as gaming and streaming.

Considering the price and everything else, one of the major cons for me is the glossy back, which can be slippery and a fingerprint magnet. Otherwise, the S26 FE is a solid phone with some of the features that have made Samsung’s flagship phones iconic.

US court rejects bid to obtain evidence from Tinubu in FOIA case

A United States federal court has rejected a request by Aaron Greenspan to obtain evidence from President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group over alleged cyberattacks on his website, while leaving unresolved a wider dispute over historical investigative records sought from US federal agencies.

Judge Beryl A. Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled on October 30 that the proposed discovery was not sufficiently relevant to Greenspan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

‘The Court’s decision makes clear that this Freedom of Information Act proceeding cannot be used to pursue discovery unrelated to the legal questions before it,’ Christopher W. Carmichael, an attorney commenting on the ruling, said.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, announced the decision on Saturday in a post on X, describing it as a rejection of Greenspan’s attempt to obtain evidence from Tinubu and DCI Group.

The court also rejected a request by Karl Von Batten, a non-party to the case, to file an amicus curiae brief, as well as Greenspan’s related request for judicial notice.

However, the ruling was not an outright victory for the US government in the underlying records dispute. The judge denied Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment and granted the FBI’s competing motion only in part, leaving other aspects of the agencies’ justifications for withholding records subject to further proceedings.

The litigation concerns Greenspan’s efforts to obtain historical investigative records from the FBI and DEA relating to a federal investigation of a Chicago-based money-laundering and heroin-trafficking operation in the early 1990s.

His requests named Tinubu and other individuals. The court previously ordered the agencies to search for and produce non-exempt records after rejecting their initial attempts to refuse to confirm or deny whether responsive records existed.

In the latest ruling, the court found that Greenspan’s proposed investigation into alleged denial-of-service attacks on his website was not sufficiently connected to the legal questions in the FOIA case.

The decision did not determine who was responsible for the alleged cyberattacks, nor did it resolve the wider dispute over access to the historical records.

The court also raised concerns about the agencies’ justifications for withholding some documents, including whether they had adequately demonstrated that disclosure would cause foreseeable harm or whether portions of the records could be released without compromising protected information.

The agencies may submit additional declarations to justify continued withholding, leaving the disclosure dispute ongoing.

Oluwole Afolabi, an attorney commenting on the ruling, said the court had also denied Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment and rejected the separate request to introduce an amicus brief.

‘While the underlying FOIA issues remain before the Court, these rulings establish important procedural boundaries and clarify which matters are appropriate for consideration in this litigation,’ Afolabi said.

The ruling therefore limits Greenspan’s attempt to expand the proceedings through discovery involving Tinubu and DCI Group, but does not conclude the underlying FOIA litigation.

Court to rule on Mawogola county election petition on December 19

Masaka High Court has set December 9 to give its verdict in the election petition in which former Mawogola County MP Gorreth Namugga is challenging the victory of the incumbent Dez Oswaldo Byuuma.

Justice Rosette Comfort Kania set the date for the ruling on October 31 after the respondents presented their final witness, the Electoral Commission’s principal legal officer, Enoch Kugonza.

Kugonza dismissed claims that the Electoral Commission hired illiterate and partisan presiding officers in the Mawogola County election on January 15, which the petitioner blames for some of the irregularities.

He, however, struggled to answer some questions raised by the petitioner’s lawyers, led by Evans Ocheing and Caleb Alaka, about the alteration of results and discrepancies in the number of votes polled by candidates, which at several polling stations exceeded the number of registered voters.

Some of the names of the polling stations mentioned in the election petition include Katimba B, Kabasanda Growers, Kabundi playground and Kasaana primary school polling station, among others.

These and other polling stations, summing to 20, are said to have altered results, falsifications and cancellations, among other issues whose causes could not be clearly explained during cross-examinations by Mr Kugonza, who at some point said that he was not the author of the contested Declaration of Results forms.

‘Some of the copies of DR forms on record are not clear, because they are photocopies of certified copies; let the petitioner share the certified copies of these contested DR forms so that we can have these issues of the said falsified results get off the way,’ Geoffrey Kandebe, lead respondent lawyer, told the court.

However, the petitioner’s lawyer, Alaka, told the court they were not aware that the respondent wanted copies of certified copies, thereby asking the court to allow them to file copies of the questionable DR forms on November 2 for the court to observe them.

The presiding Judge Kania accepted the prayer by Alaka, allowing him to present the certified copies of the contested DR forms, before giving parties schedules for filing written submissions.

The petitioner will file their submissions by November 12, while the respondent will submit his by November 23, and both parties have up to November 30 to file rejoinders, and then the court will deliver its ruling on December 19, 20226.

Speaking to Journalists after the court session, Haruna Ssewaya, the respondent’s lawyer, said that they are going to embark on filing more evidence to court to show that their client (Byuuma), won the election in a free and fair manner and is the true choice of the people of Mawogola County.

On her part, Ms Namugga said that they have shown the court that there were mass irregularities in the election, adding that there is a need for the court to base its decision on this evidence, which they are going to file in written submissions, to nullify Byuuma’s victory.

According to Electoral Commission records, Byuuma won the election with 25,781 votes, Namugga polled 4,857 votes, while Independents Denis Ddumba and Maurice Mukiibi got 924 and 436 votes respectively.

Nigerian troops kill 71 terrorists in nationwide offensive

Nigerian troops have neutralised no fewer than 71 terrorists in coordinated ground and air operations across Borno and Yobe, while recovering weapons and ammunition and disrupting terrorist logistics networks.

The operations include a five-hour counter-offensive at Buni Yadi, Yobe, which reportedly accounted for 48 ISWAP fighters, as well as separate air and maritime strikes that neutralised 23 terrorists.

An operational report made available on Saturday, said the Buni Yadi operation followed an attack on troops at the North-East Theatre Training School in Gujba Local Government Area.

The report said the troops repelled the assault and neutralised 48 terrorists during the ensuing counter-offensives, recovering 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns and one 60mm mortar.

It added that other recovered items include 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras and thousands of rounds of ammunition of different calibres.

The report said one soldier was killed during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries.

According to the report, the maritime component, supported by an armed unmanned aerial vehicle, had in another operation on Oct. 28, struck terrorist targets across Lake Chad.

‘Preliminary battle damage assessment indicates that eight terrorists were neutralised, while 10 others sustained injuries.

‘Similarly, an air operation near Ngirmishi settlement, north of Kerenoa, reportedly neutralised about 15 terrorists.

‘The operation followed the sighting of suspected terrorists around a structure believed to be a logistics base, which was subsequently struck in a precision attack.’

The report said that in Borno, army troops of 5 Brigade arrested seven suspected terrorist collaborators, informants and logistics suppliers at Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area, on Oct. 28.

Items recovered, according to the report include mobile phones, food supplies, drinks, blankets, cooking oil and other household materials, alongside ?483,550.

It added that troops of 112 Task Force Battalion, working with Hybrid Forces, also ambushed suspected terrorists attempting to cross the Mafa-Ajiri road at Kassasewa, Mafa Local Government Area, on Oct. 27.

The report revealed that the suspected terrorists fled, abandoning five rocket-propelled grenade bombs and 175 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

The report added that in another development, troops of 202 Battalion apprehended a suspected terrorist informant and logistics supplier attempting to infiltrate Bama town.

‘The troops also intercepted a suspected member of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) who reportedly escaped from a terrorist enclave in Bama and was on his way to surrender.

‘Meanwhile, troops of 403 Amphibious Brigade, working with the Multinational Joint Task Force and Civilian Joint Task Force, discovered an improvised explosive device along the Baga-Cross road in Kukawa Local Government Area on Oct. 29,’ it said.

In Plateau, the report said troops of Operation Enduring Peace foiled a kidnapping attempt at the ECWA Staff Quarters in Jos North Local Government Area in the early hours of Friday.

It said that the troops responded to a distress call and forced the suspected kidnappers to abandon their operation and flee.

According to the report, troops also arrested a suspected kidnapper at Akwaba, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa, during a joint operation with the Department of State Services.

‘The suspect and ?200,000 recovered during the operation were handed over to the DSS for further investigation.

‘In Ondo, troops of 322 Artillery Regiment, working with the Nigeria Police, raided a suspected criminal and ritualists’ hideout at Kajola Camp.

‘Three suspects were arrested, while counterfeit United States dollars and other foreign currencies were recovered.

‘The suspects and recovered items were handed over to the police in Ore for further action,’ it also said.

EFCC Chair: Zamfara is evidence of transformational leadership under gov Lawal

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, has affirmed the presence of transformational leadership in Zamfara State under Governor Dauda Lawal.

The EFCC Chairman delivered the keynote address at the 30th anniversary of Zamfara State, held at the Grand Chamber of the Government House in Gusau.

Other notable speakers at the anniversary lecture are Professor Tijjani Muhammad Bande, Professor Sulaiman Kura, Professor Murtala Rufai, Professor Taofik Aminu, among others.

Mr Olukoyede stated that he conducted due diligence on Zamfara State and its governor before accepting the invitation to serve as a keynote speaker.

He said, ‘By virtue of the ethical demands of my office, I don’t attend political events; I don’t go to the government house as a matter of principle. But when I received this invitation, something told me to accept and see what was going on there.

‘I did a little due diligence on His Excellency and the state. I saw when the state was created and noticed the drastic change over the past 3 years. And I made up my mind. I went to meet my boss, Mr President, and he said, go. I told him what I have seen about Zamfara and the need to support the work His Excellency, Dauda Lawal, is doing in this state.

‘I am deeply honoured to be with you this morning. My acceptance to be with you today stems from two distinct realities: first, my professional engagements rarely bring me to this vibrant part of the nation because my office is based in Abuja. This is my first time in Zamfara State.

‘As I arrived in Gusau, the first thing I noticed was the new airport. It is noticeable even to first-time visitors. The capital city speaks of visible transformation, as we have seen. Newly paved roads align with street solar lights.

‘Zamfara unfortunately ranked near the bottom, not for lack of natural allure, but because the perception of rigid social tendencies overshadowed its immense natural potential.

‘Even after becoming a state capital in 1996, transformation was gradual. For years, despite the efforts of previous governors, Zamfara remained among the country’s less-developed states.

‘However, today, the contemporary outlook is shifting; indeed, the physical evolution of Gusau serves as a powerful metaphor for the broader Zamfara State.

‘I am incredibly encouraged to learn that Zamfara has steadily improved its performance in critical national examinations like NECO and WAEC. Public infrastructure is expanding, positively impacting people’s daily lives. These strides are rightfully attributed to the consolidation of the deliberate reform initiatives and align perfectly with the theme of today’s celebration titled ‘accountability and responsibility in transformational government’.

‘Despite the ethical standards of the office I occupied, it will take a serious-minded, committed democrat, a transparent governor, to have the temerity and audacity to bring the Chairman of the EFCC to address the people of the state.’

In his remarks, Governor Lawal emphasised that the anniversary theme, ‘Reflections, Achievements, and the Future,’ is meant to examine the challenges that have shaped the state’s experience and to consider what leaders must do to secure a better future.

He said, ‘I’m pleased this commemoration has fostered serious intellectual engagement beyond ceremony. Today’s papers address key government responsibilities: public accountability, community involvement in tackling insecurity, preserving our history and culture, and linking security with socio-economic development.

‘These discussions guide this administration. Our Six-Point Rescue Agenda addresses the State’s challenges. At the same time, the Zamfara State Development Plan 2025-2034 provides a long-term roadmap for the economy, infrastructure, social welfare, human capital, governance and environmental sustainability. We must turn these commitments into measurable improvements in people’s lives.

‘I sincerely appreciate all the presenters for the knowledge and experience they have brought to this occasion. I also thank the Chairman of the Occasion, the discussants, the organising committee and the Sub-Committee on Lecture and Publications for their contributions to this event. To all our guests and participants, I am grateful for your presence and participation.’

Report says construction has job creation solution

The 26th World Bank economic report has revealed that the construction sector offers an important near-term entry point for job creation that Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy could leverage on.

Data from the bank shows that as the economy seeks to expand from a GDP of US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040, construction will play a central role in supporting the infrastructure and urban expansion needed to sustain long-term growth. It adds that the sector, which remains well below its employment potential, has a major untapped opportunity that could yet support Uganda’s growth ambitions.

‘Despite growing by 11.6 percent in FY25, it employs an estimated 2.3 percent of Uganda’s workforce-less than one-third the employment share of comparable East African economies-reflecting low productivity, limited firm growth, and weak job quality,’ the report discloses.

It further states that construction also plays a broader role in structural transformation by providing the infrastructure through which urbanisation translates into higher productivity across firms, workers, and cities. The report also examines how reforms to strengthen land governance, urban planning, firm productivity, and labor-intensive public investment can position construction as a stronger engine of more and better jobs, productive urbanisation, and structural transformation.

The employment gap in construction reflects a dual market failure, on the demand and supply side. Despite a large underlying need for housing and infrastructure, formal housing remains unaffordable for most Ugandan households. This is thanks to mortgage rates of 16-22 percent, leaving a large gap between housing need and effective demand.

On the supply side, low productivity, fragmented firms, and high input costs limit the sector’s capacity to scale. Together, these constraints suppress activity in the affordable housing segment, where the significant potential for job creation lies, underscoring the need for coordinated reforms to unlock both demand and supply, the report states.

Uganda’s construction sector is dominated by small, informal firms, with few medium-sized firms able to scale productivity and employment. Weak certification, limited career pathways, and low participation of women reinforce low-quality employment and constrain productivity gains, despite evidence that stronger sector organisation and standards can improve these outcomes.

The report reveals that sector underperformance reflects inter-connected constraints spanning three areas.

‘Governance failures are the most foundational: the absence of a sector regulator, weak land administration, slow permitting, inadequate urban planning coverage, and an unapproved land acquisition and compensation policy together create the conditions in which informality is more rational than formalization,’ it states.

‘Second, market failures compound these issues: without a wage premium for certified skills, neither workers nor firms invest in training; without a contractor register, lenders cannot price construction risk, and credit remains expensive and scarce,’ it adds.

Structural conditions-including shallow capital markets, a landlocked geography, high input costs, prohibitive mortgage rates, and tight credit-squeeze both contractor liquidity and household demand while cementing dominant informality in the sector.

Uganda’s own programmes show that construction can generate jobs at scale when project design is aligned with employment objectives, with the report pointing to the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) and the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP). The two undertakings indicate that labour-intensive urban investments can generate labour shares of 38-44 percent of project costs, compared with 18-22 percent for mechanised works, while also supporting stronger inclusion outcomes.

‘These experiences provide a credible domestic basis for scaling construction approaches that are more job-intensive and inclusive,’ the report states.

The report proposes a sequenced reform agenda built around three mutually reinforcing policy pillars. The first, and the prerequisite for the others, strengthens the institutional foundation through enacting the Construction Industry Development Bill (CIDB) (formally called Uganda Construction Industry Commission-UCICO Bill), endorsing the land governance legislative package, and streamlining permitting.

The second activates demand through reforming the Physical Planning Act to mandate integrated planning, updating physical development plans with infrastructure servicing commitments, establishing serviced plot programmes on verified public land, scaling labor-intensive public investment and affordable housing.

Qimiao Fan, World Bank director Somalia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, said the third reduces construction costs and strengthens market competition by expanding contractor finance, improving procurement and local content, lowering input costs, and strengthening construction skills.

‘Together, these reforms can transform construction from a fast- growing sector into a leading engine of more and better jobs, competitive cities, and structural transformation,’ he said.

2027: INEC organises one-day workshop for PWDs in Kebbi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday organised a one-day workshop for persons with disabilities ahead of the 2027 General Election in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital.

In his opening remarks, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Abubakar Dembo Sarki Pawa, told participants that INEC remained committed to ensuring that every Nigerian, irrespective of disability, had an equal opportunity to participate fully in the electoral process.

Sarki Pawa, who was represented by his Administrative Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, said the meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen understanding of the Commission’s disability inclusion policy, improve accessibility and promote the effective use of assistive devices. He added that it would also provide an avenue to identify practical solutions to the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly at the grassroots level.

‘As we prepare for the 2027 General Election, I urge our electoral officers and disability desk officers to demonstrate greater commitment to ensuring that no eligible voter is excluded or disadvantaged on account of disability.

‘I encourage all participants to engage actively and make meaningful contributions towards achieving a more accessible, inclusive and credible electoral process,’ he stated.

In her speech, the Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department at INEC headquarters in Abuja, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the programme was organised to strengthen collective understanding of disability inclusion, accessibility and interventions developed by the Commission to promote the electoral rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Represented by Mrs Bilkisu Abdusalam, Bello pointed out that the participation of PWDs as voters, candidates and election personnel was central to an inclusive, accessible and participatory democracy. She noted that the Commission therefore remained committed to identifying and addressing barriers across the electoral cycle.

Bello explained that it was important for stakeholders to understand the purpose, beneficiaries and proper application of interventions such as the Braille Ballot Guide for visually impaired voters, EC30, written instruction posters for deaf voters, magnifying glasses for persons with visual impairments and albinism, and voter education materials in Braille, as well as jingles, flyers and posters.

She emphasised that the provision of these materials would only be meaningful if they reached their intended beneficiaries and were properly utilised. She also called for voter education outreach to PWDs through the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), cluster heads, special schools, camps and settlements, with JONAPWD taking ownership in collaboration with the respective clusters.

‘As we prepare for the 2027 General Election, let us strengthen our collective responsibility to ensure that interventions reach those for whom they are intended. Let us also strengthen the partnership between INEC, JONAPWD, OPDs, cluster heads and other stakeholders,’ she said.