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PWDs petition President for review  of Disability Act
Persons with disability displaying placards. PICTURES: MAXWELL OCLOO

PWDs petition President for review of Disability Act

Members of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFDO) yesterday took to the streets of Accra to petition President John D. Mahama for a review of the Disability Act (Act 715) of 2006.

According to the group, the act contained some lapses that fell short of the requirement of the Convention on the Right of Persons with Disability (CRPD).

The President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD), Mr Yaw Ofori Debrah, explained that one of the great concerns of persons with disability (PWDs) was the failure of the government to enforce the moratorium on access to public facilities.

“The GFDO conducted a gap analysis of the Disability Act 715 and came out with some lapses. We documented all these gaps and sent a proposal to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) for a review of the Act but nothing has been done,” he said.

Concerns

Mr Debra observed that the failure of the government to enforce the moratorium under the Disability Act that required all public buildings to be restructured to meet the need of PWDs was an indication that the plight of PWDs was neglected by the society.

“Tomorrow will mark the end of the moratorium on accessibility of public buildings to PWDs, yet we are still not given any right in that direction. We are going to work with human rights organisations to ensure that the right thing is done,” he said.

Among other concerns the group raised were unequal employment opportunities for PWDs, discrimination at various levels, the lack of provision for affirmative action under the Act and lack of the right to equal recognition.

Placards

PWDs, including the physically challenged, the deaf mute, persons with albinism and the visually impaired, converged on the Accra Rehabilitation Centre and marched through the principal streets of Accra accompanied by brass band music to the Accra Hearts of Oak training pitch near the Art Centre, where they presented a petition.

They carried placards some of which read: “Amend Disability Act 715”; “Make Public Places Accessible”; and “We need Accessible Environment.” 

Some of the PWDs became frustrated when the Gender Minister, Nana Oye Lithur, who was detailed to receive the petition on behalf of the President, did not show up at the venue for about 30 minutes.

Presentation of petition

Some of them vented their anger on the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Dela Sowah, when she arrived at the venue to receive the petition.

Presenting the petition to Mrs Sowah, Mr Debra sent a strong signal that the GFDO would initiate court action against state institutions which had failed to make their structures disability-friendly.

Mrs Sowah received the petition and promised that it would be handed over to the President through the sector minister.

She explained that Nana Oye was unable to meet the group in person because the ministry was launching an event to commemorate the signing of the Disability Act 2006.

She highlighted some of the programmes the government had rolled out for PWDs such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), increment of the disability fund by three per cent, and urged them to remain calm as efforts were being made to respond to their plight.

Some of the PWDs, however, expressed their displeasure as to why they were not involved or invited to the launch of the initiative by the Gender Ministry.

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