The Ghana Federation of Disabled Persons’ Organizations (GFD) said persistent discrimination, exclusion from decision-making areas and neglect continue to be major obstacles for persons with disabilities.
The Federation’s Upper East Regional Chairman, Mr. Mark Akubile, said Persons with Disabilities (PWD) continue to suffer from social injustice, adding that despite their right to equality, they are being ignored in policy making. He added that opinions were given little consideration.
He said this situation not only increases abuse and discrimination against persons with disabilities, but also denies them their rights and the basis on which they can grow and contribute significantly to national development.
Akubile made the following remarks in Bolgatanga to commemorate World Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2023. The theme was “For people with disabilities, with people with disabilities, to save people with disabilities and to act in solidarity to achieve the SDGs”.
The regional president explained that despite the passing of the Disability Act, which requires people with disabilities to have access to public buildings, this has not yet happened.
He said people with disabilities continue to have difficulty accessing many public buildings, and called for compliance with the law, especially when it comes to health facilities.
“We want public and private developers and infrastructure owners to modernize their infrastructure, especially health facilities, to make them accessible to all people with disabilities,” he said.
Akubile said the lack of sign language interpreters in major public institutions, especially health facilities, is a challenge in providing quality healthcare to persons with disabilities.
He called on the government to hire and train sign language interpreters in public places to assist people with disabilities when the need arises.
“As people with disabilities, God has given us potential that we can use for the development of our country. That is why some of us are teachers, nurses, lecturers, seamstresses, petty traders, etc. ,” he said.
He called on society to not discriminate against people with disabilities and to support them in achieving their potential and goals.
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