GFD calls for inclusive development of PWDs ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The leadership of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has reiterated calls for state institutions as duty bearers to implement initiatives that seek to promote inclusive development bordering on the PWD Act.

Joseph Atsu Hormadzi, president of the GFD speaking at the launch of this year’s

International Day of Persons with Disabilities at Atimpoku in the Eastern Region, appealed to the government to expedite works on the amendment of the Disability Act.

He observed that the Act in its current form has some loopholes that must be addressed in tandem with United Nations (UN) dictates.

“We want to appeal to the government once more to amend quickly the Disability Act. The Disability Act has some gaps so we’re appealing to the government…to speed up so that we can amend the Disability Act to be in line with the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities so that disability issues can be addressed wholly and completely in Ghana,” he said during the presser.

He called on all stakeholders, partners, and other interest groups to come on board and support the PWDs and extended the gratitude of the federation to them.

Commending current and previous governments for the various social interventions put in place over the years to support persons with disabilities, Mr. Hormadzi called for further support for affected persons to help address their plight.

Being celebrated on the theme, "United in Action to Rescue and Achieve the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities", the event will be held in line with UN Conventions and all other legal frameworks and conventions that address persons with disabilities in Ghana.

This year, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations is involving all its branches to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

In line with this, all the 16 regional branches of the federation would hold a regional forum on Monday, December 4, 2023, to interact with society, policy implementers, chiefs, opinion leaders, and assembly members to have a concrete discussion around achieving the SDGs to benefit PWDs across the districts.

In Accra, a petition would be presented to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection with the same petition being presented to government representatives at the regional levels.

The monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) manager at the GFD, Moses Fordjour expressed regret at the prolonged legislation process which he said had been on the drawing board since 2013.

“This year the federation together with our partners, people with disabilities, civil society organisations who’re all advocating for the policy legislative framework to be made right are going to be petitioning the ministry to expedite action,” he said.

The situation if not addressed this year, he fears could drag on until 2024, especially with the year being an election year.