By Jerry Azanduna, GNA
Techiman, (Bono East) April 16, GNA – The Center for Empowerment of Persons Living with Disabilities (CePiD), a Non-Governmental Organisation has sensitised some PwDs in the Bono East Region on the Disability Act, 715 (2006) to deepen their knowledge on the Act.
About 50 PwDs benefited from the day’s sensitization and capacity building workshop aimed at empowering them to advocate their fundamental human rights and dignity.
Speaking at the opening session of the workshop in Techiman, Madam Amma Nyando, the Coordinator for the CePiD explained that the organization empowered and promoted rights of PwDs.
They do that through a holistic and inclusive approach, awareness creation on legal protections, entitlements, and social services, thereby, strengthening their ability to claim their rights and challenge discrimination.
Mad Nyando indicated that the sensitisation aimed at enhancing and deepening participants’ understanding on Act 715 highlights key privileges of the PwDs in the Act.
The sensitisation also empowered the participants’ access to dialogues with local authorities and traditional leaders for inclusive development and to make legitimate demands for their rights and thereby strengthen their participation in decision making.
Madam Nyando said the CePiD also provided skills development through training in entrepreneurial and financial management that enhanced employability, economic independence, and self-reliance.
Dr Abdulai Dramani, a senior lecturer at the University of Energy and Natural Resources and the training facilitator, took the participants through the Disability Fund, explaining that the fund was an administrative arrangement to cushion the PwDs.
“The fund isn’t part of the Act; however, the arrangement is to empower the PwDs economically”, he explained.
Dr Dramani said the sensitisation was to deepen the knowledge of the PwDs on the Act 715, its requirement, and the link between the rights of PwDs and the general legal rights.
“That will empower the PwDs to advocate their rights for disability friendly activities in national development”, he stated, saying that: “The law provides that after 10 years all public structures and state institutions ought to provide elements that will give PwDs access”.
Mr Daniel Boakye, the Techiman branch Chairman of the Ghana Society for the Disability commended the organisers for the training which had empowered the participants to know their rights.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Linda Asante Agyei