The Ashanti Region branch of the Ghana Society of Physically Disabled has expressed concern about the manner in which structures are put up in Ghana, without any consideration for the special needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The group said almost all public and private structures in the country are unfriendly to PWDs, and have remained so, in spite of incessant appeals by the association, civil society organisations and individuals who have the welfare of PWDs at heart, to policy makers and other stakeholders to consider PWDs in putting up structures.
They said the current situation poses great challenge to them as PWDs as they try to access services from government institutions.
A former executive of the group, Mr Francis Opoku told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in Kumasi on their views on this year’s budget statements and their expectation called on government to ensure that public buildings are designed to take care of their needs.
The Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) as part of its advocacy programme on this year’s budget and with support from Star Ghana embarked on a number of field trips to some selected districts throughout the country to find out if people really care about budget statements of governments.
He said a policy to build disabled friendly structures are some of the policy issues that they expected to hear in the budget statement but unfortuantely this did not happened.
“It is imperative to factor in a policy to ensure that public buildings and other infrastructures are disabled friendly”, he stated.
“It has always been our hope that the budget would tackle such projects. At 56 and as a country, it is about time we refocus our infrastructure development to be favourable to us who are physically challenged.”
“We wish to draw the attention of the public to consider that all buildings that are put up, even our individual are disabled friendly because in old age most people become disabled,” he said.
He said the association would intensify its advocacy on disability friendly infrastructure to enable the government to examine, strengthen and implement policies that will ensure quality and positive outcomes in its infrastructural development drive.
Unlike developed countries, most public infrastructure in Ghana such as schools, hospitals and other public buildings have poor infrastructural conditions, most of which are unfriendly to PWDs.
The Institute of Financial and Economic Journalist (IFEJ) conducted the survey in several communities in Ghana, with sponsorship from STAR Ghana and technical support by the World Bank.
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