Disability advocates petition Ghana Airport Company to investigate abuse of rights

Some disability advocates have called on the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Airports Company Limited to investigate instances of mistreatment and inhumane service meted out to physically challenged persons who use the airports in Ghana.

A letter signed by eight disability advocates and copied to the Ministers of Transport, Tourism, Gender, children and Social Protection and the Chairman of Airlines Board referred to the case of Madam Jennifer Mensa-Bonzie, a physically challenged person domiciled in the USA who recounted her ordeal as a passenger of domestic flights to Kumasi and Tamale.

It said: “there are many passengers like her in Ghana, and our community continues to suffer the pain of the irresponsible services by the airline operators in our airports for domestic flights.

“As the chief duty bearer in our airports, we the signatories to this letter humbly appeal to you to engage the airline operators and swiftly design and deploy practical solutions to the challenges recounted by the gracious Mad. Mensa-Bonzie.

“Particularly, we demand that you issue directives and institute an operational regime, where physically challenged, non-verbal, visually impaired persons and others with disabilities, once they disclose such disabilities, would be assisted appropriately as passengers to use the aircraft and airports.

"We think it is only civil, and therefore suggest that facilities like wheelchairs, lifts, mobile ramps and pulleys, crutches, writing and visual aiding devices and the like are promptly provided to assist persons with disabilities (PWDs) as passengers/humans, and at no extra cost to them."

GNA