On June 23, 2006 a Disability law was passed by Parliament with the sole aim of rescuing Person's With Disability (PWD), and to curtail, if not to bring to an end, the discrimination they suffer in the society.
It's been six years now, yet, the essence of it has not materialized. The same old things for which the bill was passed are still being witnessed everyday in our society.
A recent encounter with a PWD at a social gathering made me to recall my sad moment with a physically challenged person at a bus station. This physically challenged person had difficulties in getting into a bus. He however pleaded with a young man to kindly help him climb onto the bus. But it was sad, almost heart rending to recall that the young man replied “am I your slave? Can’t you jump into the bus yourself? If people like us want to enter a bus, cripples like you want to get in first."
This 'cripple' had no choice than to step back in tears heaving a deep sigh of frustration.
Section (29) of the Disability ACT (ACT 715) talks about the reservation of seats on vehicles for Person's With Disability (PWD). But as of now, this section has not been implemented. If this section of the Act had been implemented, I do not think the 'cripple' or 'blind' would find difficulties in securing a seat in a bus.
Also Section (9) of the same Act states that “the Ministry shall through the public employment centers assist to secure jobs for Person's With Disability." Yet we find many who are physically challenged roaming and begging for arms on the principal streets of Accra - a millennium city for that matter.
Again, how many companies in Ghana have and are willing to employ Person's With Disability? Due to their condition, their applications are easily turned down. Hardly would you find them occupying any prominent position in our society. This is because the society in which they find themselves does not give them the much needed encouragement.
I personally think if the Disability Act is implemented fully, we will realize how important these people are to our society. We can do better as Ghanaians. Let's help speed up the implementation of the Disability Act.
Elizabeth Owusu-Kissi
African University College of Communications (AUCC)
Accra
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