“Streamline disability activities into national development agenda”
Mrs Josephine Kuomkugri, Municipal Chairperson for People with Disability in the Upper East Region has called for an effective streamlining of disability activities into national development agenda.
She said disability mainstreaming has the advantage of ensuring total integrated development and noted that if that was done, it would guarantee the social, economic, cultural and psychological freedoms of the citizenry.
She called on stakeholders to address issues related to gender equity and equality, children with disability and the increasing accessibility for people with disability activities in all avenues as well promote research on disability issues.
Mrs Kuomkugri made the call at the celebration of the International Day for the Disabled and the commissioning of a regional resource centre for persons with disability in the Upper East Region.
This year’s Celebration was on the theme, “Together for a better world for all; including persons with disability in the national development agenda”.
She said so much has been achieved with the passage of the disability act, and called on policy makers and other organizations to complement government’s efforts in changing the lives of persons living with disabilities.
She commended ActionAid, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly and the Disability Fund Management Committee for their commitment at ensuring that majority of disabled persons had financial support in various forms to help improve their trades and livelihoods.
Mr Nicholas Kumah, Country Director of AfriKids, a Non- Governmental Organization in the Upper East Region, said the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) is aimed at increasing the understanding of issues around disabilities and draw attention to the dignity, rights as well as the wellbeing of persons with disabilities.
He said persons with disabilities made up an estimated 15% of the world’s population with Ghana having between seven and 10 percent which is approximated to be 1.55 to 2.2 million people in the country.
He said disabled persons in Ghana were faced with numerous challenges including stigma and discrimination and were largely marginalized, disproportionately poor, frequently unemployed and were excluded from civil and political discourses in society.
He called on Ghanaians to respect and appreciate these challenges confronting PWDs and show them love, support and discontinue all forms of discrimination against them.
Mr Gregory Dery, Programmes Officer of ActionAid, said the aim of the project was to promote integration, self reliance, economic independence and self interaction among persons with disability and members of the public as well as the mainstream society.
He called on the beneficiaries to put the edifice for its intended purpose and maintain it to enable other donors to support their activities.
“Use the facility to mobilize, educate and empower persons with disability in the region to achieve desired results”, he said.
Rev Canon Denis Tong, Parish Priest of the Anglican Church in Bolgatanga, inaugurated the facility valued at GH¢4,500.00 with fully furnished offices and a conference space.
Source: GNA