Persons with disabilities want representation at Assemblies

Wa, Nov 24, GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Attangongo, Upper West Regional Programme Officer of Action on Disability and Development, on Thursday appealed to various Regional Coordinating Councils and Assemblies to consider appointing persons with disabilities as Assembly members in their areas.

The appointment, he said, would not only serve the interest of the disabled, but would also offer them the opportunity to contribute their quota to nation building and help them to explain government policies to their members during their meetings. Mr. Attangongo made this appeal during a day's disability forum held at Wa for them to deliberate on pertinent issues on their welfare and development in the region.

He appealed to persons with disabilities to prepare and contest in the forthcoming district and unit level elections to gain an appreciable representation in various assemblies.

The programme Officer appealed to persons with disabilities to collaborate effectively with Non-governmental Organizations and other stakeholders to be able to solve some of the problems confronting their development.

Mr. George Hikah Benson, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, expressed regret that in spite of the numerous attempts to make persons with disabilities comfortable none of them had yielded fruits and hoped that the draft national disability bill would be enacted to propel them to work with hope and confidence in their areas of operation. He however appealed to them to constantly dissuade their members from begging on the streets, and rather work to harness their talents to benefit themselves and society in general.

Mr. Ibrahim Saani, Chairman of the resource Centre commended Mr. Ambrose Dery for recognizing them since he assumed the office of regional minister.

He particularly lauded him for giving them 150 bags of maize as their share of food Aid that was sent to the region by NGOs and philanthropist organizations.