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Former President, John Agyekum Kufuor, has joined calls for the speedy enforcement of the law on building accessibility by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) 18 years after its passage.
According to him, it was high time that the government gave impetus to the law “to make it work” in order to ensure that PWDs had equal opportunities to living a life of dignity.
“As a nation, we must be dynamic and rise to the occasion to make sure the law works because we cannot leave any segment of the society behind,” he stressed at the maiden “Disability Conversation”, organised by the John A. Kufuor (JAK) Foundation in collaboration with the Right of Youth and Disability International, a non-governmental organisation, in Accra yesterday.
The PWDs Act 2006, (Act 715) makes it mandatory for all buildings to which the public has access to be fitted with disability-friendly facilities to make them accessible to PWDs and that is the sole responsibility of the owner or occupier of such buildings.
Also, Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Ghana is a signatory to also stipulates that to enable PWDs live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, state parties must take appropriate measures in order to ensure that PWDs access on an equal basis with others, the physical environment, transportation, information and communication and other facilities and services open or provided to the public both in urban and rural areas.
However, despite these provisions, little has been done to ensure that buildings were disability-friendly to PWDs entrenching discrimination and social seclusion against them.
President Kufuor stated that placing humanity at the centre of nation building was crucial to ensuring an all-inclusive society, as all persons were likely candidates for disability.
“If anyone had said that 10 years ago, I would have been in a wheelchair, he would have been disputed or dubbed a false prophet but that is my reality today and that is why my government deemed to an important thing to do to pass the PWDs Act.”
He called for intensify efforts to eliminate cultural prejudices and outdated practices that continue to impede the progress of PWDs adding that; “let us develop the tolerance to accommodate each other as an integral part of the human race and reinforce the commitment to a future where every individual is valued and empowered.”
A justice of the Supreme Court, Gabriel Scott Pwamang, stressed that while Ghana’s legal framework was largely compliant with international standards, more efforts were required to enhance the general orientation towards disability and ensure effective policy execution.
He urged parents of children with disabilities to initiate early educational interventions, laying the foundation for a lifetime of inclusive learning and empowerment.
“Section 16 of the disability act mandates compulsory free education for children with disabilities, with legal consequences for non-compliance,” he pointed out, urging the media to continue advocacy for inclusion of PWDs in national development.
A former Minister of State, Mr Francis Poku, who chaired the event, underscored the importance of persons with disabilities inclusivity and community spirit in Ghana’s social and political landscape.
“Let us develop the tolerance to accommodate each other as an integral part of the human race to create a future where every individual is valued and empowered,”
Held on the theme; ‘Acceptance, inclusion and integration of disability as a difference in diversity,’ the conference brought together representations for various disability groups, policy makers, academia and other relevant stakeholders to push to reignite momentum for the rights of PWDs in the country.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
