Disability Rights Fund holds consultative forum on disability law
Disability Rights Fund (DRF), Ghana, has organised a consultative meeting on a draft proposal for the amendment of the Persons with Disability Act for stakeholders from the northern sector of the country.
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The meeting was to collate views and inputs of stakeholders on making certain provisions of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability included in Ghana's law on disability, Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
The coalition is made up of Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFDO), Media Caucus on Disability and MindFreedom Ghana.
It brought together more than 40 representatives of member organisations including Ghana Association of the Physically Disabled, the Ghana Blind Union, Ghana Association for the Deaf and the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism as well as the Mental Health Society of Ghana.
Progress
The acting National Advocacy Officer of GFDO, Mr Joshua Makubu, commended the government for appointing one of their own as the Central Regional Minister.
He said the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba, had held discussions with the federation and assured them of the government’s commitment to address challenges confronting Persons with Disability (PWDs).
Mr Makubu called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint active members of the federation to head some public institutions as well as local assemblies.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Roads and Highways was in collaboration with the federation to ensure that tollbooths were manned by PWDs.
Share of Common Fund
He also commended the government for increasing the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocated to PWDs from two per cent to five per cent.
He expressed the hope that those government policies would help improve the living conditions of PWDs, especially those begging on the streets.
The Ashanti Regional President of the federation, Mr Alfred Tabi Amponsah, said contributions of members of the federation to socio-economic development was significant and urged the public to desist from discriminating against PWDs but rather promote their inclusion, peaceful coexistence and harmonious living at workplaces, homes, churches and other public places.