GDF drags Franklin Jantuah to court
A disability advocacy group, Ghana Disability Forum (GDF), has dragged Franklin A. Jantuah, the last surviving member of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s cabinet, to court over certain comments he made against the Presidential Candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Ivor Greenstreet.
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Mr Jantuah, the group said, had described Mr Greenstreet as not having the ability and competence to lead the CPP because he is a cripple.
Background
In its writ filed at the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court, GDF said Mr Jantuah made the comments in an interview he granted to a private television station, GhOne, on February 24, 2016, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the overthrow of the government of Dr Nkrumah.
The group quoted Mr Jantuah as saying: “I don’t think a cripple can lead a political party. If you have a CPP with a leader who is a cripple… I wonder how he is going to rule.’’
It also claimed that the defendant said: “A flag bearer has to walk… have the capacity to walk and go to places.
Disrespect
The group stated that the comments by the former cabinet minister were a clear sign of disrespect for the disabled community in the country.
It also described the statement as discriminatory, abusive and degrading to persons with disability in the country.
“The comments are also contrary to Article 29 (4) of the 1992 Constitution and section 37 of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) on non-discrimination on grounds of social status,’’ it said.
No remorse
GDF is of the view that unless compelled by the court to retract the comments, Mr Jantuah had no intention to retract and apologise, adding: It had made several attempts to make the defendant retract the comments but that had not yielded any fruits.
Claims
The plaintiff is, therefore, seeking a declaration from the court that the comments were a violation of the non-discrimination provision in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
It is also seeking a declaration that the comments by Mr Jantuah was discriminatory, abusive and degrading of persons with disability in Ghana as stated in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
The group is further seeking an order from the court for Mr Jantuah to retract his comments and render an unqualified apology to Mr Greenstreet, as well as the disabled community in Ghana.