Dr Freda Prempeh, a former legislator has called on the nation to do more to improve the welfare of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for them to live dignified lives.
As the nation join the rest of the world to mark the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Region Constituency in the Ahafo Region, called on the government to enforce provisions in the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
Annually on December 3rd, countries globally year mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, established by the United Nations in 1981, to raise awareness and increase understanding of disability issues and the commitment to ensuring dignity, rights, and well-being of people with disabilities.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.”
In interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Ahafo Region, Dr Prempeh, also a former minister of state, and the founder of the Ultimate Women Foundation (UWF), said the Act 715 affirmed the rights of all PwDs.
She said the UWF worked to empower indigenous women and girls, including PwDs to contribute meaningfully to the upkeep of the family and the society in general.
Dr Prempeh noted that though the Act 715 guaranteed for PwDs, easy access to education, employment, public services, and accessible facilities, many public buildings and facilities, including hospitals and schools were unfriendly, thereby denying them the needed access.
She said it was unfortunate that since the passage of the Disability Act in 2016, many PwDs still remained on the streets depending on alms begging for their livelihoods.
Others are also unable to access other essential services like healthcare due to the unfriendly nature of public buildings, she stated.
“So, we must think outside the box and see how we empower the PwDs economically, get them off of the streets and successfully reintegrate them into society for them to also contribute their quota toward progressive national development,” Dr Prempeh stated.
She emphasised that social inclusion remained a legal right and constitutional obligation, but not a charity, and called on the government to create an easy movement for the PwDs to access public services by improving access to health facilities, schools and public buildings at the community levels.
Dr Prempeh said the “central promise of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to leave no one behind,” saying unless the PwDs had full and active participation in all aspects of development, it would be difficult for the nation to achieve the targets for the global goals by 2030.
Nonetheless, the former MP commended the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), saying the friendly nature of the ministry’s building in Accra for the PwDs was highly commendable.
