Empower the Disabled Person - MP

The Member of Parliament for Krachi Nuchumuru, Mr John Majisi, has advocated for the empowerment of Persons With Disability (DWPS) to enable them fend for themselves and be recognised in society.

Mr Majisi said persons with disability were secluded from the community and national programmes by virtue of perceptions and their level of education.

Speaking in an interview with the Information Services Department (ISD) in Accra, Mr Majisi expressed concern about failure to enforce the Disability Act, 2003 (Act 651), resulting in this group of persons not having equal access to essential services and their rights not respected.

He said 15 per cent of the world's population-- 64 per cent of whom being women and forming the majority-- were estimated to be disabled in one form or the other.

These women, he said, apart from not having access to employment and marriage, maternal care was also not properly delivered to them while little was said of them during this year's world women's day celebration.

He said there was the need to provide PWDs with essential services, especially in health care delivery while specific programmes for women with disability should also be introduced.

Mr. Majisi was unhappy that most disabled persons depended on the 20 per cent common fund for their survival and was sure some did not even get their fare share of it.

He was of the view that PWD's should benefit from the individual common fund and a system to cross check that the money got to them.

He bemoaned the lack of a proper form of education for children with disability, coupled with inadequate classrooms and limited teacher population, saying special schools were required to handle PWDs at an early age of six.

Mr. Majisi said PWDs should be considered in the introduction of the free Senior High school policy, adding that mobility and other essential things needed to bring all persons with any form of disability should be made available under the policy.

Source: ISD (Nana Ama Bonnah & Faith Edison)

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