Gov’t urged to Inaugurate Disability Council Governing Board

The Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), is calling on the government to, as a matter of urgency, Inaugurate the governing board of the National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD), as provided for under section 43 of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).

The the federation says, the delay in the commencement of operations of the Board has impacted negatively on the effort of the Council and stakeholders in taking major decisions aimed at promoting inclusion and effective participation of persons with disabilities in the Ghanaian society.

The National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD) is a creation of the Disability Act 2006 (section 41 of Act 715), with an objective to propose and formulate policies and strategies to enable persons with disabilities be included and participate in mainstream national development.

In a press statement signed by the president of GFD, Mrs. Mawunyo Yakor-Dagbah, the federation contended that, “since the commencement of the second term of this government, numerous development programmes, policies and projects are being executed across the country for the benefit of citizens of Ghana. However, there is a high tendency for the needs and interests of persons with disabilities to be overlooked. The role played by the NCPD in this regard is crucial but unfortunately, it is currently not fully functioning due to the absence of the Board, hence, the urgent need to inaugurate its governing Board”.

Currently, just like other government agencies, the tenure of office of the previous Board of NCPD which was inaugurated in 2018, has ended and in accordance with section 44 of Act 715, a new Board is supposed to be inaugurated.

Mrs. Yakor-Dagbah further said, “as a Federation, we acknowledge the positive work of the government and the President for certain interventions made to protect and promote the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities in Ghana. The GFD would like to use this opportunity to respectfully call on the President of the Republic of Ghana, to inaugurate the governing Board of the National Council on Persons with Disability as a matter of urgency, as any further delay would seriously derail the progress made so far in the disability sector”.

By Benjamin Nii-Lartey Ayiku