Accra: Advocates for persons with disabilities have called for urgent measures to make Ghana's Disability Act implementable. The law, passed nearly two decades ago, has been met with widespread non-compliance by government officials and public institutions across the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, during the annual John Agyekum Kufuor Disability Lecture, held on October 14, speakers stressed that many public buildings, including schools, churches, law courts, and hospitals, still lack adequate infrastructure to enable easy access for persons with disabilities. The event, organized by the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and Rights and Disability (RYD) International, was themed 'The Stark Reality of Disability Legislation in Ghana.'
The Disability Act (Act 715), enacted on August 9, 2006, prohibits maltreatment of persons with disabilities and mandates facilities to have appropriate infrastructure to ensure equal access to resources and employment. However, Dr. James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr highlighted the lack of proper execution and the absence of a structured system to ensure the law's effectiveness.
Dr. Bomfeh Jnr passionately stated, "Until we drop dead, we cannot stop fighting. Life is war, and we are on the battlefield. We must fight as such. We can do it if we set our mind to it," urging all stakeholders, particularly the government, to ensure accessible public buildings. He referenced an unreported case where a judge ruled in favor of a plaintiff, forcing the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to pay damages for non-compliance with the Persons with Disability Law.
He further encouraged persons with disabilities to lead advocacy efforts, stating, "Nobody will fight for you if you don't fight for yourself. Nobody will seek your interest if you don't assert your interest." Dr. Bomfeh also called on architects and engineers to design buildings accessible to persons with disabilities and advocated for increased representation of persons with disabilities in public institutions.
Nana Kobina Nketia V, Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area and chair of the event, emphasized the societal responsibility towards persons with disabilities, stating, "Disabled people are our responsibility, just as I am their responsibility. Our society is a society of responsibility." He urged a change in societal attitudes to ensure inclusion, dignity, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Ms. Anna Lena Sabroso-Wasserfall, KAS Ghana Country Director, highlighted that inclusion and equal access are fundamental pillars of a society's strength, noting, "It reflects a shared conviction that a society's strength is measured not only by the prosperity of its economy or the soundness of its institutions, but by how it values and includes every human being."
