Appoint persons with disabilities in your gov’t - CDRA tells Akufo-Addo

The Centre for Disability Rights Advocates (CDRA) is appealing to the President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in his New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

According to them, PWDs continue to be denied their constitutional rights, bemoaning discrimination they have suffered in the hands of successive governments.

‘In enjoying the continuous peace bestowed upon this country, we the *PWDs* have our hands in our mouth in awe, disdained and remain in a confused state. As much as we remain non-political and none aliened to any political party, we hastened to say that the provision of chapter five of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana has deliberately and blatantly been neglected,’ CDRA said in a statement.

The group indicated that no PWDs appointed in the outgoing National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was reported for nonperformance or involved in any corruption related cases.

They pledged to do their best to push the country forward in their respective offices if given the opportunity to serve the country.

Read details of CDRA’s statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES PRESS STATEMENT BY CENTER FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES(CDRA) *CONSIDER PWDs IN YOUR APPOINTMENTS* CDRA congratulates the entire citizenship of our dearest Republic, wishing each and everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. It is a growing concern that, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) continue to be denied their constitutional rights, worse of which is clear *discrimination* to cite the least.

In enjoying the continuous peace bestowed upon this country, we the *PWDs* have our hands in our mouth in awe, disdained and remain in a confused state. As much as we remain nonpolitical and none aliened to any political party, we hastened to say that the provision of chapter five of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana has deliberately and blatantly been neglected. However, the hope we have is that the pieces are about to be sought for in a rather tortoise pace; the outgoing NDC engaged some *PWDs* in their government however limited it was.

Expectedly, it is our call to the incoming NPP government to do likewise if not more. No *PWD* appointed in the NDC government was reported for nonperformance or corruption; at least as at the time of this release. It is eminent that this becomes the pattern of the political scene in our beloved country’s politics. We are expecting that, President-elect; *Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo* and his *NPP* will have to continue with the engagement of *PWDs* in their government.

This, to us is a clear test of the all inclusive government its human sense. It is also important that the *NPP* must demonstrate to the *PWDs* that they are not *discriminating* against us. *CDRA* calls for a unified Ghana with a unified spirit for a common gain. We are watching to see how the disability act 2006(act 715) will be respected, because the President-elect is first and foremost a prominent lawyer.

We call on all Patriotic Ghanaians to join us in this fight against discrimination.

We no longer look up to our religious leaders, for they have denied us access to reaching our maker by failing to construct simple ramps which allow us access into their various places of worship.

We are not surprised but we serve a God who does not discriminate.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

*Signed* Rev Samuel G. GABORA(Lawyer) (President/Founder)