Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations press release on the effect of the flooding of the Southern sectors of the Lower Volta on persons with disabilities and call for action at Mepe

“The Rights of Persons with Disabilities do not disappear in times of crisis. While disasters, emergencies and other crisis scenarios often require difficult decisions of prioritizing and sacrifices, the rights and lives of disabled people should not be one of them”.

It is on this quote from “the World Institute of Disability” in its submission on “The Rights of Persons with Disability in Disasters and Public Emergencies” that we welcome you all to this Press Conference session of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations in its quest to access the extent to which the floods due to the spillage of the Akosombo Dam has affected certain areas of the Greater Accra, Eastern and especially, the three Districts of the North, Central and South Tongu in the Volta Region and its effects on persons with disabilities in the affected areas. We empathize with all affected persons especially, children, women and persons with disabilities whom social protection policies all over the world are designed to cater for in situations of this nature.

Togbewo, Mamawo, Honorable District Chief Executives and Assembly Members present, fellow persons with disabilities, our brothers and sisters who have been displaced, respectable members of the Press. You will all agree with me that, while the floods have had a devastating effect on members of the affected communities, it has shattered the already devastating conditions of persons with disabilities in the communities. Can you imagine the stress with which persons with disabilities managed to escape from the raging waters of the floods through thick and thin? It is in this vein that we are here to have a firsthand insight into this unfortunate event so as to inform and influence our advocacy in mitigating the current plight of our people and future policies and strategies.

Distinguished audience, all protocol observed. We are tempted to believe that something abnormal happened leading to this unprecedented level of floods in the area which had existed long before the construction of the Akosombo Dam and had survived previous spillages. We call on the VRA and all other stake holders to revisit their disaster prevention /management strategies and rectify the factor responsible for this state of affairs to prevent or minimize its recurrence.

The Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations as the Umbrella Organization of all disability groups in Ghana has as its Vision “to create an inclusive society for all persons with disabilities in Ghana including those living in the three (3) Tongu Districts of the Volta Region. Our presence here is also in fulfillment of our Mission which is “to advocate the rights of persons

with disabilities by influencing policies, programmes and activities at the national level and to strengthen Organizations of Persons with Disabilities”.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian action are some of the International Laws on the rights of the disabled in times of crisis and disaster such as this. The 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana is not explicitly clear on support services for persons with disability in times like this although there is a general provision under Article 37(2,b) and 84(a). The Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) does not equally make an explicit provision such as contained in Article 11of the UNCRPD.



We wish to call on Parliament and the Executive to take note of this lapse in our laws and expedite action on the review of Act 715 to commensurate with international disability Laws, Protocols and Conventions for the benefit of our people.

The 2021 Housing and Population Census states that, over 8% of the Ghanaian Population is made up of Persons with Disabilities.Thus, in the three Tongu districts, we are talking of 8% of ( South Tongu- 9,050 (8%113,114); Central Tongu –6,704 (8% 83803); North Tongu- 8,866 (8%110,831) 307,748 people, which is approximately 24, 620 persons with disabilities.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, fellow countrymen and women our distinguished Traditional Leaders, as we call on the Government to factor the needs of our colleague pwds into its relief package, we are equally calling on all good spirited citizens, corporate bodies international relief agencies, donor partners and the foreign Missions to as a matter of urgency respond to the needs of the victims especially the persons with disability.



The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has focused on disability inclusion. Goal 3 of Envision 2030 is on Good Health and Wellbeing. Goal 6 is on Clean Water and Sanitation.

Let us all join the Global conversation and help create a World in 2030 that is fully inclusive of Persons with Disabilities beginning with our actions on those of them affected by this war wagging flood waters from today.

THANK YOU ALL

LONG LIVE GHANA! LONG LIVE THE GFD!!

ELIKPLIM KLU (MS)

VOLTA REGIONAL PRESIDENT