Rights of persons with disability must remain a national priority — Dr. Apaak

Deputy Minister for Education and Chairman of Parliament's Caucus on Disability, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has called for sustained efforts to promote inclusion and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in Ghana.

According to him, although progress has been made in advancing disability inclusion, more work remains to address barriers that continue to affect persons with disabilities.

His comments follow Ghana's participation in the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP19) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the United States.

In a social media post on Tuesday, June 16, Dr. Apaak described the conference as an opportunity to assess progress made and reaffirm the country's commitment to building a more inclusive society.

“The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in advancing disability inclusion and to reaffirm our commitment to building a more accessible and equitable society,” he stated.

Dr. Apaak noted that Ghana's presentation at the conference highlighted a number of initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of persons with disabilities.

These included the proposed Persons with Disabilities Bill, increased support through the District Assemblies Common Fund, free tertiary education for persons with disabilities and expanded social protection programmes.

Despite these gains, the deputy minister said challenges such as unemployment, stigma and limited access to assistive technologies continue to affect many persons with disabilities.

“While significant progress has been made, challenges such as employment barriers, stigma, and limited access to assistive technologies remain. We must continue working to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.

Dr. Apaak further reaffirmed his commitment to championing policies that safeguard the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

He stressed that ensuring their full participation in national development remains a key priority and called for continued collaboration among stakeholders to advance disability inclusion across the country.