10 Years After Passage Of Disability Act

NEWS COMMENTARY ON TEN YEARS SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE DISABILITY ACT

The World Health Organisation estimates that there are more than 600 million disabled persons in the world, of which approximately 80 percent live in low - income countries. In many developing countries, including Ghana, disabled persons constitute an impoverished marginalised group, who lack access to public health, education, and other social services.  There are no accurate data on the disability rate in Ghana but the WHO puts it to be between seven and 10 percent, which comes to about two million people. Earlier surveys of individual districts by the Ghana Human Development Scale in 1993 and the Norwegian Association of the Disabled in 1998 and 1999 indicated that the three most prevalent types of disability are those related to visual and hearing impairment as well as physical disabilities. People with disabilities in Ghana are often regarded as unproductive and incapable of contributing in a positive way to society, and rather seen as constituting an economic burden on the family and the society at large, which leaves them in a vicious cycle of poverty. 

It was hope brought alive, when on the 9th of August, 2006, exactly ten years ago, President Kufuor gave accent to the Persons with Disability Act, Act 715, a day after it was passed by Parliament. It brought smiles to the faces of Persons with Disability, Civil Society Organisations and the public in general. The Act contains provisions that seek to make people with disability feel part of the Ghanaian society. For instance, sections six requires that owners and occupiers of places to which the public has access shall provide appropriate facilities that make the place accessible to and available for use by  persons with disability. Whiles, section seven states that "a person who provides service to the public shall put in place the necessary facilities that make the service available and accessible to a person with disability. 

Today, apart from the sad fact that many private and public institutions in the country are grossly disregarding some provisions in the Act, it is pathetic that, government is also not respecting some of the provisions of the Act. This is clearly evident in the construction of the 200 ultra-modern Community Day Senior High Schools with no consideration at all for people with disability. It boggles the mind that as the E-block was being conceptualized, it did not cross anyone's mind that they ought to be made easily accessible to people with disability. It is no rocket science. A ramp and an elevator are not too much to ask for. The least said about roads, the better.  It is baffling that, in this time and age, when Ghana is gaining international recognition for democracy and good governance and respect for human rights, a section of its population will continue to be marginalised, neglected and disregarded in such a shameful manner. 

In other areas such as the service sector, what is simply needed are sign-language interpreters and Brailles.  The Act gave a 10 year moratorium for all existing public buildings to be made disability friendly. The 10 year is due but sadly not much has changed. People with disability continue to narrate harrowing experiences they go through accessing some public buildings including the chamber of Parliament. Joy is gradually eluding the disabled community. Something can still be done to rekindle the hope of the disabled. The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service can alter the plan for the remaining buildings while efforts are made to fit the completed ones with the required facilities in line With  the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715). Managers of public buildings must begin to act now. Most importantly, the Law Enforcement Agencies must ensure that henceforth the Act, is enforced to the letter. For as the saying goes,  a law without enforcement is just an advice. 

The gap between the promises, policy statements on one hand and the situation on the ground is perhaps the most explicit indicator of the state's attitude to the interest of the disabled population. This state of affairs goes beyond declarations at official functions, political party rallies and in party manifestoes. The talk is too much it is now  time to walk to talk. 

BY BUBU KLINOGO, AJOURNALIST.