Public Agenda (Accra)
Frederick Asiamah
10 October 2008
The clamour for votes from persons with disabilities (PWDs) reached a crescendo on Tuesday when the four leading political parties inundated PWDs with several promises.
The biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led the pack with a promise to establish a separate department to deal with issues affecting PWDs. On the other hand, the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) pledged to give allowances to PWDs who are unable to work due to severe disabilities.
On its part, the People's National Convention (PNC) promised to mount a desk at every ministry to attend to disability issues while the CPP assured to enact legislations to protect PWDs.
However, the parties failed to make PWDs believe that they were committed to their promises as Public Agenda gathered from separate interviews with some PWDs. The interviewees said they were impressed by the assurances but were not sure if the parties would actually live by their word.
The occasion was "Election 2008: Open Forum with Persons with Disability", put together by the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) with support from the other groups under the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD). They included the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB), Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Ghana Society of Albinos, Sharecare and Parents Association of Children with Intellectual Disability (PACID).
The forum, chaired by Dr. Bashiru Korey, a State Attorney at the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General, was to create a platform for the presidential candidates of the four parties to share their vision for PWDs. Though none of the candidates turned up, PWDs had the opportunity to elicit solutions to pertinent questions from their representatives. However, the CPP's representative could not have ample time because he arrived very late.
By United Nations estimation, between 10 and 12% of any given population in the world is disabled. Other estimates say between 7-10% of Ghanaians are disabled. Given that the national voters' register contains over 50% names of the population, it can be assumed that the number of PWDs who are eligible to vote should be at least one million. But this constituent of voters are unable to attend the numerous political rallies that are organized by the political parties due to their handicap, hence the forum.
Mr. Nicholas Halm, National Secretary of GAB, said the forum afforded the very first opportunity to PWDs to listen at firsthand to political parties. He was of the view that the needs of PWDs remained an important matter begging for attention.
Dr. Stephen Ayidiah, a lecturer at the Department of Social Work, University of Ghana, represented the NDC's Prof John Atta-Mills. He said the party has provided clear clauses in its manifesto for 2008 that address issues of PWDs.
He pledged that an NDC administration shall "make specific budgetary allocations for dealing with issues of PWDs" in the annual budget. In addition, the party will work through organisations of PWDs to deal with concerns of PWDs. Further, the NDC shall link the Disability Law to other "humanitarian laws" in order to make implementation effective.
On behalf of the NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr. Arthur Kennedy promised, "Within 120 days the next NPP government will make the Disability Council fully functional." He added that a Nana Addo-led government will give tax credits to owners of public structures to make their structures disability-friendly.
Mr. Bernard Monarh, Secretary General of the PNC, who represented Dr. Edward Mahama , said the PNC will move the issue of disability from a "charity" status to a "right-based" movement where any support for PWDs was given because it was a right. Besides, a PNC government will ensure equal access to education for both PWDs and able-bodied.
Miss Victoria Serwaa, a seamstress with physical disability, said she was impressed by all the presentations but remained undecided about which party to cast her vote for. She said none of the parties made the difference by showing commitment to the promises.
Similarly, Mr. Frederick Assor, a student of the University of Ghana, said the representatives gave a good account of themselves but he had questions about their commitment. "They spoke well but implementation is the problem," he observed.
Discussions generally centred around track records; especially of the NDC and NPP. There was also an appeal to seriously address disability sports.
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