Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Volta Region are preparing to take to the streets in protest over what they describe as the government’s persistent failure to fully enforce the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
They said that despite the law being passed nearly two decades ago to guarantee equal rights, accessibility and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, successive administrations had failed to demonstrate the political will required to fully implement its provisions.
The disability community also expressed concern that crucial Legislative Instruments needed to strengthen enforcement and penalise non-compliance had not been fully operationalised.
Under the law, a 10-year transition period was provided for existing public buildings and service providers to make their facilities disability-friendly. That period expired in 2016, yet many facilities continue to present significant barriers to persons with disabilities.
Section 6 of Act 715 requires owners or occupiers of places to which the public has access to provide appropriate facilities that make such places accessible to and available for use by persons with disabilities.
The concerns extend beyond buildings. The needs of persons with disabilities are also required to be considered in the design, construction and operation of public transportation networks, an area advocates say continues to present serious challenges.
Madam Mispa Enyonam Henu, Senior Project Officer at the Africa Disability Institute, told the Ghana News Agency that the failure of successive governments to ensure the full implementation of the law was worrying.
She said most public buildings, transport systems and educational facilities remained largely inaccessible to wheelchair users and persons with visual impairments.
Madam Elikplim Afua Klu, Volta Regional President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, said the planned protest had become necessary to demand the full enforcement of the law.
She said employment provisions intended to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities in both the public and private sectors continued to be ignored.
Madam Klu said disability organisations in the region were currently mobilising members and would announce the date for the protest once the mobilisation process was complete.
The planned action reflects growing frustration among disability advocates over the gap between Ghana’s legal commitments and the everyday experiences of persons with disabilities, particularly in accessing public infrastructure, transportation and employment.
The PWD community is therefore calling for stronger enforcement of Act 715 and practical measures that will ensure that the rights guaranteed under the law translate into meaningful inclusion and equal participation in society.
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