The Chairman of the Disability Caucus in Parliament has expressed his unhappiness with the government’s lack of investment in people with disabilities.
Dr. Clement Apaak, MP for Builsa South, believes that more could be done to help those with disabilities.
He also voiced concern over the delays in disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund component for PWDs.
According to him, ”It’s a shame that some District Assemblies apply the Disability portion of the common fund to all manner of things, rather than disburse the funds timeously, to persons with disability”.
As a result, he has advocated that disability issues be prominently featured in the 2024 electioneering campaign.
In his opinion, political parties and politicians running in 2024 must address disability issues.
He argued that “Disability issues must concern all of us because any of us could become disabled any day, any time. This is why we must always know that disability rights are human rights”.
The MP is currently attending a two day capacity building workshop for Members of Parliament on Disability Issues.
The workshop is being organised by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations supported by the UN, Ghana.
Dr. Apaak expressed how thrilled he was by the active participation of his other colleagues.
Read his full statement below
I’m currently attending a two day capacity building workshop for Members of Parliament on Disability Issues. The workshop is organised by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations supported by UN, Ghana.
As the chairman of the Caucus on Disability in Parliament, I’m thrilled by the active participation of colleagues. Did you know that there are four models by which Disability is conceptualised and defined? They are: 1) Charity; 2) Social: 3) Medical and, 4) Human Rights.
We are learning a lot about what we are doing wrong when it comes to disability issues. Even the language and terminologies we use, can have positive or negative effects on persons with disabilities.
But, honestly, we have not done well as a nation when it comes to rights of persons with disabilities. It’s a shame that some District Assemblies apply the Disability portion of the common fund to all manner of things, rather than disburse the funds timesouly, to persons with disability.
It’s even a greater shame that Ghana is yet to ratify the African Protocol on Persons with Disabilities. There can be no justification for the delay.
I’m of the strong conviction that disability issues must feature prominently in the 2024 electioneering campaign. We must maintain disability issues.
Disability issues must concern all of us because any of us could become disabled any day, any time. This is why we must always know that disability rights are human rights.
Dr. Clement Apaak
MP/PC Builsa South
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
