Appointment of PWDs to assemblies without consulting GFD a big challenge – Elikplim Klu

In an address marking this year’s World Disability Day celebrations at the Parks and Gardens in Ho, Ms. Elikplim Afua Klu, the Volta Regional President of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD), highlighted significant challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the region.

The event, held on the 4th of December 2023, aimed to raise awareness and promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life.

The theme for this year's celebration was "United in Action to Achieve the SDGs for, With and By Persons with Disabilities," aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ms. Klu emphasized the importance of collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders to realize the goals set for persons with disabilities.



Providing a situation report on disability in the Volta Region from January to December 2023, Ms. Klu outlined the historical background and objectives of the GFD. Formed in 1997 as a national umbrella organization, the GFD represents various disability groupings and plays a crucial role in advocating for the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in national policies.

However, Ms. Klu addressed key challenges faced by the GFD in the region. One significant concern highlighted was the appointment of PWDs to Assemblies without consulting the Federation. This practice she noted undermines effective communication and liaison between the appointed representatives and the Assemblies, impacting the coordination of relief efforts during emergencies, as evidenced by the recent flooding in the Tongu Districts.

“The GFD which has existed in the Volta Region from around 1998 has no permanent Office Accommodation for its Regional Secretariat and most of the Districts Secretariats. The Federation equally lacks basic office equipment such as computers and accessories. Another problem is funding of our activities which also inure to the benefit of the state in the absence of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities nationwide.



“The GFD which represents Persons with Disabilities in the Assemblies has received complaints of some Assemblies sidelining such reps to the detriment of persons with disabilities. Another important challenge is with appointment of PWDs as Government Appointees to the Assemblies. Although this is supposed to be done through nominations from the Federation, some Assemblies appoint without consultation. This way persons appointed are not able to serve as a good liaison between the Assemblies and pwds in the area of communication flow,” she stated.

This was very evident during the recent flooding of the three Tongu Districts of the Volta Region within October this year. We did not find any correlation between persons with disabilities, their reps and the Assemblies in the management of the disaster with distribution of relief items and rescue measures. To this, we thank all persons who helped in various ways including Ho Fm, not forgetting Dr. Richard Akplotsi and the Founder, Tosh Media, Volta Star Radio and all other Media houses which highlighted the fate of pwds and attracted donors for their support,” she added.

Ms. Klu called for increased support and collaboration from the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) and the Assemblies to address these challenges. She specifically appealed for office accommodation at regional and district levels and emphasized the need for stakeholders to work together to achieve higher results.



Read her full address below:

GHANA FEDERATION OF DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS, VOLTA

“WORLD DISABILITY DAY” CELEBRATIONS, 4THDECEMBER 2023 PARKS AND GARDENS, HO.

THEME “UNITED IN ACTION TO ACHIEVDE THE SDGs FOR, WITH AND BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES”

WELCOMING ADDRESS / SITUATION REPORT ON DISABILITY IN VOLTA REGION, JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 2023 -

MS. ELIKPLIM AFUA KLU, VOLTA REGIONAL PRESIDENT, GFD

Mama Chairperson, the Hon. Regional Minister and the father of the Region, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Augustus Awity, Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzra, Member of Parliament for Ho – West Constituency and Chairman of the Volta Caucus of Parliamentarians, Hon. Divine Bosson, Municipal Chief Executive of Ho and our host, the DCE from our Sister District Adaklu, Leaders of Political Parties present,the Regional State Attorney and other Head of Departments, invited Guests, colleagues District leaders of the GFD and members, the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I welcome you all to today’s event, the Volta Regional “World Disability Day” (also known as the International Day of Persons with Disability) Celebrations, which was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47/3 in 1992.Per this proclamation, the United Nations and member states resolved and committed themselves to “promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all endeavors of society and development; and to increase awareness on the situations of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Political, Social, Economic and Cultural life.

Mama Chairperson, Hon Regional Minister, Chairman of the Volta Caucus of MPs, all protocol observed, you will notice that, I mentioned your names individually in my introduction. This is not by any means, an act to lengthen my speech nor to bore you. It is meant to remind each and every one of you of your specific roles in the promotion of this all important resolution of the United Nations in the context of this year’s (2023) theme.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement which forms the premise of this year’s celebration demands collaboration and commitment to a common course from all of us as stakeholders.

In line with this, I wish to share a brief situation analysis on the disability situation in the Volta Region as part of our database for consultation with others in your efforts of achieving the sustainable development goals for, with and by us (persons with disabilities).

BRIEF HISTORICAL BACK GROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Persons with Disabilities and their Organizations in Ghana, realizing the importance of one voice and a united front, came together in 1997 to form one National Umbrella Organization as the Central voice for advocacy to mobilize all persons with disabilities with their peculiar needs towards the influencing of National Policies and promote the participation of PWDs in society, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations(GFD for short).

The GFD started which with three known disability groupings then, the Ghana Blind Union, the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled and the Ghana National Association of the Deaf has grown into a nine member Organization as at December, 2022.

The new groupings include; the Ghana National Association of Persons with Albinism, Mental Health Society of Ghana, Inclusion Ghana (Children with developmental Challenges), Share Care Ghana (autoimmune and neurological – persons who experience heightened levels of fear, anxiety and depression), Ghana Stammering Association and Burn Survivors.

MEMBER GROUPINGS IN VOLTA REGION

In the Volta Region, however, the membership organizations are the Ghana Blind Union, the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, Ghana National Association of the Deaf, Inclusion Ghana and Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism. The Regional Secretariat plays a Caretaker role for the Mental Health Society in the absence of a branch in the region.

The GFD has branches in all the 18 Districts of the Volta Region whose leaders are all present at this gathering.

As a national umbrella organization, the Federation works under the guidance and direction of the National Secretariat through the Regional and District Secretariats. It has become a Quasi – Governmental Organization because of its support for the state in mobilizing and creating a common platform for the state and its segment of persons with disabilities to engage on issues of national development.

ACTIVITIES

The GFD was very instrumental in the formulation and passage of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2006 (Act 715), the institution of the Disability Common Fund and the Drafting and institutionalization of the Guidelines on the Management and Disbursement of the PWDs Common Fund. It engages always on the Review of the UN Country Report on Disability and supports with inputs and implementation of national policies and local interventions concerning the participation of and inclusion of pwds in political, social, economic and cultural aspirations of the nation.

CHALLENGES

The GFD which has existed in the Volta Region from around 1998 has no permanent Office Accommodation for its Regional Secretariat and most of the Districts Secretariats. The Federation equally lacks basic office equipment such as computers and accessories. Another problem is funding of our activities which also inure to the benefit of the state in the absence of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities nationwide.

The GFD which represents Persons with Disabilities in the Assemblies has received complaints of some Assemblies sidelining such reps to the detriment of persons with disabilities. Another important challenge is with appointment of PWDs as Government Appointees to the Assemblies. Although this is supposed to be done through nominations from the Federation, some Assemblies appoint without consultation. This way persons appointed are not able to serve as a good liaison between the Assemblies and pwds in the area of communication flow. This was very evident during the recent flooding of the three Tongu Districts of the Volta Region within October this year. We did not find any correlation between persons with disabilities, their reps and the Assemblies in the management of the disaster with distribution of relief items and rescue measures. To this, we thank all persons who helped in various ways including Ho Fm, not forgetting Dr. Richard Akplotsi and the Founder, Tosh Media, Volta Star Radio and all other Media houses which highlighted the fate of pwds and attracted donors for their support.

THE WAY FORWARD

Disability issues have been mainstreamed into our governance structure and national policies as part of the Rights of the Disabled in accordance with Article 29 of the 1992 Constitution, the Persons with Disabilities Act 2006, Act 715, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other International Protocols and Conventions. The institution of Disability measurement into the performance indicators of the Assemblies is a plus to the government and we expect it to increase disability services from the Assemblies. We appeal to the VRCC and the Assemblies to help us with office accommodation at Regional and District levels, The Federation’s aspirations are that, the amended version of the Act 715 shall be passed by parliament, and all stake holders shall play their complimentary goals towards sensitization on issues of PWDs in general and specifically towards a united action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities by the year 2030.

I commend my predecessors Masseurs Ferdinand Anku and Elolo Adjei for their respective roles. Likewise, all other agencies and organizations who are working in the interest of PWDs. Let us work together to achieve higher results.

Thank you all and God Bless our Homeland Ghana.