Creating an Integrated Society for People with Disabilities – President of People with Disabilities | Social

The Federation of Organizations for People with Disabilities called on the government and other stakeholders to develop policies adapted to the plight of people with disabilities in order to create an integrated society with equal opportunities for all vulnerable people.

Mr. Clement Mba, President of the Federation of Organizations for the Disabled, Bongo Section, said people with disabilities were neglected and deprived of any support to enable them to lead a life of dignity.

Mr. Mba did so during the celebration of the International Day of the Disabled by the Bongo District Section on the theme “not all disabilities are visible”.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, designated by the United Nations and celebrated on December 3 of each year, aimed to highlight the challenges faced by people with disabilities and to advocate for proposals to address them.

During the celebration, the federation manifested its calls through placards with inscriptions such as “include people with disabilities in decision-making at all levels of governance, give people with disabilities a quota in the agency for the youth employment and nation building body, make all public places accessible to people with disabilities now !, stop discrimination against people with disabilities and respect people with disabilities among others ”.

The Bongo chapter chair noted that around 15% of the world’s population was disabled and added that the 2010 population and housing census conducted in Ghana suggested that around 4,063, or 4.8%, were disabled in Bongo district.

“Of this number, the difficulty in seeing represents 38.5%, the physically handicapped 23.3%, the difficulty in hearing 21.8% and those who have speech disorders 10.8%. This clearly shows that the district has a large number of people with disabilities, hence the need to give them much more attention, ”he added.

Mr. Mba explained that despite the large number of people with disabilities across the country, their challenges and aspirations had not yet been sufficiently integrated into the policies and programs of various departments and agencies to create an enabling society for people. disabled people to participate fully in nation-building.

He said, “In addition to socializing at public functions, it remains our right to participate in such functions and contribute our quota to the development of our nation Ghana”, adding that the company has continued to put up barriers. which made it difficult for them to participate in governance.

Mr Mba said that despite the passage of the Disability Law of 2006, Law 715 by Parliament, many public buildings were still not accessible to people with disabilities and discrimination was still practiced in society against them.

“I might sound emotional, but these are facts that need to be laid bare for society to change its attitude towards us so that we can coexist peacefully and enjoy the fruits of creation as well. Empowering ourselves must involve loving ourselves, taking care of ourselves and providing us with the assistance we need to work for ourselves ”.

While acknowledging President Akufo-Addo for increasing the disability fund from 2 to 3 and appointing Mr. Joseph Makubu as the designated minister for Oti, which is disabled, Mr. Mba said the federation needed to more opportunities to give them the means to lead a dignified life.

Mr. Mba, who praised the efforts of Mr. Peter Ayamga Ayinbisa, Acting District Executive Chief for the region and Bongo District Assembly for supporting the federation over the years, called on the Acting DCE and Assembly to assist in the construction of a motorable road leading to their completed resource center.

“Finally, I would like to call on the DCE to speed up the supply of electricity and drinking water to the installation as well as to burn the road to facilitate accessibility to the place. We will also very much appreciate if a cleaner and security are provided on site, ”he added.