The EEP is a document de­signed under the Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) to address high unemployment situa­tion among Persons With Disabili­ties (PWD) in Ghana.

The policy seeks to promote equal opportunity, inclusion and fair treatment in terms of employ­ment through the elimination of discrimination and implementation of affirmative measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experience by vulnerable groups.

The Executive Secretary of NCPD, Madam Esther Akua Gyemfi, who made the call in a speech read on her behalf by the Acting National Coordinator for the Regional Directorate of NCPD, Mr Joshua Arddy, said that would ensure equitable represen­tation of PWDs in all occupa­tional categories and levels in the workforce.

Madam Gyemfi made the call during a stakeholders’ engagement organised by Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) in collaboration with the NCPD and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) on the draft of the EEP in Accra on Thursday.

The engagement, organised under the Promoting Equal Rights for Women and Girls with Disabil­ities (PERD) Project funded by the Dutch Embassy in Ghana, aimed to review the EEP document to be submitted to the MELR to facilitate the process for adoption by government to address employ­ment challenges among PWDs in the country.

Madam Gyemfi said research had shown that the employment rate for PWDs in Ghana was very low as compared to developing countries despite successive gov­ernments’ interventions.

“This is a step which Ghana has taken to ensure that we main­stream PWDs issues into national development, hence trying to ensure employment rate for PWDs increase,” she added.

She said the Policy applied to all companies set up under sections 2 and 33 of the Company’s Act 2019 (Act 992) and the Public Service of Ghana as specified in Article 190 of the Constitution, as well as to public Corporations and Civil Society Organisations.

“The policy will require Com­panies, Ministries, Departments and agencies to inform manage­ment and employees of the policy, obtain the commitment and active support of all managers in order to ensure successful implementa­tion and maintain all records,” she stated.

The Executive Director of PPAG, Madam Abena Adubea Amoah, said the Disability Act enjoins every employer, whether in the private or public sector, to employ PWDs once they have the capacity, saying sensitisation was very important in the implemen­tation of the policy as it would provide the needed impetus to scale it up.