By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, Dec. 3, GNA – The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has appealed to the Government to take immediate steps to re-enact and pass the revised Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
Madam Martha Coffie, National Gender Representative of the GFD, said the delay in finalising the revised law was hindering Ghana’s progress towards inclusive development and weakening the country’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Monday, she said the renewed call aligned with the Government’s recent commitments at the 2025 Global Disability Summit, but noted that legislative action had been slow, leaving millions of Ghanaians with disabilities without a modern legal framework that reflected their rights and dignity.
Madam Coffie explained that Act 715, passed nearly two decades ago, no longer fully aligned with international disability rights standards or the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which Ghana ratified in 2012.
She said the delay in re-enacting the Act had resulted in persistent barriers to accessibility and participation, weak enforcement of disability-related obligations, unclear institutional mandates, and gaps in inclusive education, employment, transport, justice delivery and digital inclusion.
It had also contributed to inequities in access to mainstream social protection interventions, she added.
Madam Coffie, therefore, urged Government to prioritise the revised Disability Act as part of its national development and human rights agenda, saying Ghana’s international commitments must translate into concrete legislative reforms.
She called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, as the lead ministry, to fast-track all remaining processes, secure Cabinet approval, and submit the revised Bill to Parliament without further delay.
She appealed to the National Council on Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) to intensify stakeholder consultations, public awareness creation and technical coordination to support the finalisation of the Bill and strengthen institutional preparedness for its implementation, once passed.
To Parliament, she urged that the Bill, once submitted, be prioritised and processed through the necessary readings in a timely, transparent and consultative manner that centres the voices of persons with disabilities.
“A modern disability law is fundamental for equality, justice and inclusive development,” she emphasised.
More than two million Ghanaians living with disabilities – representing about eight per cent of the population – continue to face systemic inequalities.
A strengthened Disability Act, she said, would modernise Ghana’s legal framework, clarify institutional responsibilities, and improve access to education, healthcare, employment, transport and justice.
It would also enhance accountability across public and private institutions and accelerate national progress towards inclusive development.
“GFD stands ready to partner with Government, Parliament and all stakeholders to ensure that the revised Act is passed and effectively implemented,” she said.
Mr Yaw Ofori Debrah, the former President of the GFD, said the process to re-enact the Act began five years ago and appealed to w Government to ensure its completion, noting that many rights of persons with disabilities had long been overlooked.
“We believe the Government is not opposed to the re-enactment, but we appeal for speedy action to ensure the law is passed,” he added.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe