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Don’t call PWDs derogatory names

The acting Nkwanta-South District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Daniel Agbesi Latsu has advised able-bodied persons to respect the rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), and desist from calling them by derogatory names.
He said it was immoral and against the Disability Act 2006(Act 715) to treat PWDs with scorn, adding that any person who contravened the law committed an offence and was liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.

Mr Latsu, who was addressing a public education programme on the rights of PWDs at Nkwanta, said gone were the days when people called PWDs derogatory names such as “Pozo” and “Bafa” and the likes because of their state of disability and were allowed to go scotfree. Now, Act 715 frowned on such names.

He advised PWDs to engage in productive work to prove sceptics wrong that disability is not inability.

In an address, the Vice-Chairman of the Nkwanta-South District of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFDs), Mr Michael Okumenu said although many of them had acquired skills or were self-employed they still lacked start-up capital.

He therefore appealed to philanthropists and benevolent organisations to come to their aid and also help to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the payment of school fees for their children.

He commended the NCCE for its commitment to duty and called for the sustenance of such public education programmes.

Similar educational programmes have been held at Chaiso, Abrewankor, Kromase and Nyambong Junction.



Story: Tim Dzamboe, Nkwanta

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