Mr Joseph Adu-Boampong, National President of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD), has urged District, Municipal and Metropolitan assemblies to remove bottlenecks that impeded the smooth disbursement of the Society’s three per cent share of the District Assembly Common Fund.
Mr Adu-Boampong, who made the call at an advocacy and awareness-creation seminar by the Tema branch of GSPD in Tema at the weekend, said the timely release of the fund would go a long way to assist the Society to achieve its annual set goals and objectives.
The Seminar aimed to sensitize members on advisory services to enhance their rights, privileges and responsibilities as enshrined in the Persons With Disabilities Act 2006 (Act 715) of Article 29 of the Constitution.
The theme was: “Advocacy/Awareness Rising on Rights and Responsibilities of PWDs, Towards National Development in the Metropolis”.
Mr Adu-Boampong urged the Government to ensure the full implementation of the Disability Act and to also ratify the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDS), which Ghana is a signatory.
He appealed to interested Ghanaians to support members of the Society with employable skills, funds and to help to reduce the high unemployment rate among members.
Mr Adu-Boampong regretted that unemployment among PWDs was high, and attributed it to the fact that in situations where PWDs were employed, the question normally arose as to whether, with their disabilities, they would be able to work satisfactorily.
Mr Daniel Djabatey, Chairman of the Tema branch of GSPD, asked members to take advantage of seminars and workshops not only to enable them to be abreast with current events, but to also learn more about their rights and responsibilities in society.