Disability inclusion is not charity, it is Justice — Dr James Bomfeh

Political scientist and development scholar, Dr James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, has urged Ghana to move from symbolic gestures to concrete actions in enforcing disability legislation, nearly two decades after the passage of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).

Delivering the maiden John Agyekum Kufuor Annual Disability (JAKAD) Lecture in Accra on October 16, 2025, Dr Bomfeh described the late implementation of the law as “a mark of infidelity to the law,” insisting that the rights of Persons living With Disabilities (PWDs) remain largely unfulfilled.

Speaking on the theme, “The Stark Reality of Disability Legislation in Ghana,” he praised former President John Agyekum Kufuor for his “moral clarity and legislative courage” in championing the Act, which he called one of Ghana’s most consequential social justice laws.

He said the Kufuor administration set Ghana apart by recognising that persons with disabilities ‘are not objects of pity, but subjects of rights.’

A step forward for Persons with Disabilities in Ghana

“Inclusion is not a favour, but a constitutional mandate. Justice must be accessible to all — physically, socially, and legally,” he stated.

He noted that the Act, passed in 2006, required all public buildings to be made accessible within ten years, yet in 2025, many government offices remain difficult for PWDs to access.

Dr Bomfeh recounted the experience of a wheelchair user who had to be physically carried into a public building to attend a policy meeting, calling it 'a stark contradiction between legislative commitment and practice.'

“Legislation without implementation is like symbolism without substance. Disability inclusion is not charity it is justice,” he indicated.

Dr Bomfeh cited statistics showing that Ghana’s population of Persons With Disabilities increased from about 737,000 in 2010 to over 2 million in 2021, representing eight percent of the national population.

Globally, he said, more than 1.3 billion people, about 16 percent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability.

He added that unemployment among PWDs remains high and cost developing countries up to seven percent of GDP, noting that disability must, therefore, be seen not only as a human rights issue but also as an economic development concern.

Tracing the roots of disability inclusion, Dr Bomfeh highlighted traditional African systems such as the Manden Charter of Sundiata Keita in the 13th century, which declared every human life sacred and forbade ill-treatment of the disabled and elderly.

He said such indigenous systems demonstrate that Africa had long embraced inclusive values, contrary to claims that disability exclusion was culturally rooted.

Dr Bomfeh called for a comprehensive review of the law to align with international standards, strengthen its definitions, and grant the National Council quasi-judicial powers.

He also urged greater public education, the inclusion of disability awareness in school curricula, and the training of journalists and law enforcement agencies in disability-sensitive practices.

Government to make disability inclusion legal obligation

He described naming the lecture after former President Kufuor as a ‘living tribute’ to his leadership.

“To name this lecture after him while he is alive is to say: Papa, we see you. We thank you. We will continue the work,” he said.

MRA/AE

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