The Ghana Federation of Disability is urging the government to expedite the passage of a bill aimed at enhancing protection, inclusion, and equality for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
The Federation emphasizes that the legislation will be crucial in ensuring full inclusion and combating discrimination and abuse faced by PWDs.
President of the Ghana Federation of Disability, Joseph Atsu Homadzi, appealed to the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to prioritize the legislation, warning that continued delays would hinder progress.
“Everything we do must be backed by law,” Homadzi stressed. “Without this Act, our advocacy lacks legal support. This delay is impacting our campaign efforts. Since the law isn’t aligned with the UN Convention, we’re calling on the government to support us and pass the Act to strengthen advocacy for persons with disabilities.”
He also highlighted the financial hardships faced by families of PWDs and criticized the lack of accessibility in many school environments. He called for greater support to guarantee quality education for children with disabilities.
Mr Homadzi made the call at the National Day Celebration for Persons with Disabilities held on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, reaffirmed President John Mahama’s commitment to inclusive education. He noted that the government is fully committed to supporting the passage of the re-enacted legislation.
Dr. Apaak attributed the delay in passing the bill to challenges within the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection over the past four years.
“Unfortunately, due to what transpired in the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection in recent years, the planned course of action was affected,” he stated. “I firmly believe that once we reconstitute the Parliamentary Caucus on Persons with Disabilities, which I chair, we will work with the Gender Minister to ensure the bill is passed.”
He further reiterated the President’s dedication to providing free tertiary education for PwDs, highlighting the financial challenges many experience.
“We have a lot of very skilled, capable, competent, young men and women with disabilities, but the financial barriers have always been an obstacle. The current arrangement requires that before you can apply for the funding available through the scholarship secretariat, you ought to be registered and we are championing that roadmap that will take care of that initial registration fee which means that once you finish secondary school or TVET, your place in tertiary education is guaranteed.”
Stakeholders present called on the private sector to partner with the government in developing inclusive learning and skills development pathways for PwDs.
They also decried the persistent stigma and discrimination, especially against children with disabilities, and called for united, urgent action across all levels of society.
