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02.02.2016 Politics

Disability manifesto in the offing

02.02.2016 LISTEN
By GNA

Ho, Feb. 2, GNA - VOICE-Ghana, a disability interest think-tank based in Ho in the Volta Region, is developing a disability-manifesto to be a reference point for campaigns by political parties in the 2016 election.

Mr Francis Asong, Director of VOICE-Ghana, speaking to the GNA on the sidelines of a meeting to evaluate an Inclusive Governance Project for Persons with disabilities said the manifesto would stem from existing pro-disability interest laws and statutes, both local and international.

The umbrella law governing the rights of Persons with Disability (PWDs) in Ghana, Act 715, 2006, appears to be lacking vigour 10 years after enactment.

VOICE-Ghana in a statement on World Disability Day 2015, expressed 'worry about the gap between existing national statutes regarding welfare of people with disabilities and the situation on the ground'.

Mr Asong said the disability manifesto should pin serious political parties and their candidates to the issues of PWDs, so that they could be taken on for their words.

He said this should end the wishy-washy attitude of political parties and governments to concerns of the estimated five million PWDs in Ghana.

Mr Asong said the projected disability manifesto should commit political parties to the statute-backed world trend of mainstreaming issues of disabilities into governance at all levels.

GNA

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