By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Accra, March 02, GNA – The Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to prioritise the recruitment and appointment of qualified physically disabled graduates into public sector roles.
In an open letter to the President, signed by Mr Courage Wormenor, National President of the GSPD, in commemoration of the International Wheelchair Day, he expressed concern over what he described as the continued neglect of competent graduates with physical disabilities in public sector employment.
The letter noted that although many persons with physical disabilities had gained access to education and excelled in training colleges and universities, they continued to face exclusion from employment opportunities.
“We have fought for access to education, excelled in training colleges and universities, and demonstrated our capacity to contribute meaningfully to national development. However, the five per cent employment quota remains largely unenforced, leaving many stranded,” it stated.
The society acknowledged that certain security and paramilitary institutions, including the Police Service, Fire Service, Immigration Service, Prisons Service, the Armed Forces, and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, had specific operational requirements that might not align with the capabilities of some persons with disabilities.
It urged the president to consider alternative public sector roles where the skills and competencies of qualified physically disabled graduates could be effectively utilised.
The GSPD emphasised that persons with disabilities were not merely beneficiaries of policy but valuable contributors to national development.
“Empowering us will enable us to shape minds, strengthen institutions, and inspire future generations. Imagine the transformative impact of a wheelchair user serving as a role model to students across Ghana”, the letter added.
The society appealed to the President to move beyond policy statements and ensure the effective implementation of the five per cent employment quota for persons with disabilities within public-sector institutions.
“It is time to unlock the full potential of physically disabled Ghanaians,” it stressed.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade