50% of Brazilian buses for persons with disabilities-Veep

Accra, Aug. 11, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday announced that 50 per cent of buses expected from Brazil would be friendly to persons with disabilities.

He said out of the 200 Brazilian buses expected in October this year, 100 of them would be fitted with disability facility to make them accessible to physically challenged persons.

"We have already instructed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to comply with the directive of making all public institutions accessible to all persons with disabilities."

The Vice President announced these when officials of the National Council on Persons with Disability and their counterparts from the University of Manitoba and Canadian Centre for Disability Studies, both from Canada, called on him at the Castle, Osu, to announce their collaborations with partners.

He said the constitution of the National Council on persons with disabilities was the beginning of the educational programmes that would help to redress their challenges as public institutions noting that the transport system still lacked facilities for them.

Vice President Mahama expressed displeasure at the way persons with disabilities were being discriminated against in society.

"You realize that even in a family, if somebody's education will have to be sacrificed then it is always persons with disabilities instead of others, who have other opportunities, than the physically challenged."

He gave the assurance that government would do everything possible to make persons with disabilities to enjoy better facilities in public entities.

Dr Michael Baffoe, Leader of the Canadian delegation announced that they would use Ghana as their continental hub because of the country's democratic credentials and political stability.

He said apart from signing some agreements with the University of Ghana and other partners in Ghana, they would continue to support Ghanaian students engaged in social activities to articulate the views and actions of social organizations.