Vote for messages that represent your interests - CDD

Tamale, July 30, GNA - Persons with disability (PWDs) have been advised to scrutinize the campaign manifestoes of the various political parties and vote for those who promoted the interest and welfare of the physically-challenged.

Mr. Abdul Wahab Musah, Project Coordinator of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), gave the advice at a day's workshop to encourage persons with disability to keenly participate in the forthcoming general election.

The workshop was also meant to explain the rights and roles of the electorate in elections and to provide the platform for discussions on how to make the December elections peaceful, free and fair. The CDD-Ghana and Ghana Federation of the Disabled organized the workshop on the theme: "Promoting and protecting the rights of people with disability" under the sponsorship of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Mr. Musah stressed the need for politicians to attach prominence to issues concerning PWDs to promote national cohesion. He said CDD-Ghana would work tirelessly with all stakeholders to secure political, economic and social empowerment of PWDs. "We note with satisfaction and pride that CDD-Ghana disability work did not end with the passage of the Disability Act 715." Mr. Samuel Asare, President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled, advised the members to come out in their numbers to vote for persons whose messages were in consonance with their interests. Mr. Yakubu Alhassan, an official from the National Population Council (NPC) said it was necessary to protect and promote the civic rights of PWDs and commended CDD-Ghana for championing their cause. He urged the electorate not to allow politicians to influence them with money to win their votes. "It is wrong for politicians to buy votes and we must all therefore help to stop the practice under the country's current political dispensation".