PWDs prepare for election into Unit Committees

Selected number of People With Disability (PWDs) from the Agortime-Ziope and Adaklu districts of the Volta Region have been taken through modalities for contesting the forth-coming Unit Committee Elections.

The half-day programme also briefed participants on qualification and the process of engagement as Polling Assistants.

The training formed part of the one-year Democratic Governance Project by Voice of the People with Disability-Ghana (VOICE-Ghana), to mainstream PWDs into political decision-making at the local level.

Mr. Francis Asong, Director of VOICE-Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that as many platforms as possible would be created to drive home the message of inclusiveness of all segments of society in all decision-making.

Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Responsiveness (STAR)-Ghana is funding the project with outlays from UKaid, EU, DANIDA and USAID.

Kafui Kpe, Election Officer at the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) office responsible for Adaklu and Agortime-Ziope districts, stressed that a prospective candidate for a Unit Committee should have been living in that community for at least 12 months.

Ms. Regina Tarkyi, Gender and Disability Desk Officer, EC, Ho, who spoke on the roles and responsibilities of Unit Committees, said every electoral area would elect five persons to form the Unit Committee there.

Mr Prosper Kporku, Librarian, Agortime Senior High School, Kpetoe, said he was aspiring to become a Unit Committee member to imprint the needs of PWDs on the minds of policy makers.

He said some of the needs of PWDs were, educational and skills training support.

Mr. Sampson Abornu, from Adaklu-Torda, said he would support colleague PWDs to be elected to Assemblies as a way of putting PWD interests on the table of development.