Increased Discrimination Towards Persons With Disability In Ghana-VODEC

Limited access to education, unemployment, stigmatization, social exclusion, negative socio-cultural perception and poverty are few challenges facing Persons with Disability in Ghana. We are appealing to the Ministry of Roads and Highways help able people working at the various Toll Booth across the country to handle over to persons with Disability. As we start from the Kpobiman Toll Booth in the Ga West Municipality which will start operation in a few days to come. Fifteen percent 15% of every population have one form of disability or another. In Ghana the 2010 population and Housing Census puts the population of severely disabled persons at 3% (737,743). This means that the population of Persons with Disability in Ghana could as well be between 15 and 20%. An estimated 70% of persons with disability live in rural areas and thus encounter a lot of challenges in their participation in decision making and general access to information, resources and opportunities. Article 36(5) (d) states that democracy is made a reality by the state by decentralizing the administrative and financial machinery of Government to the regions and districts and by affording all possible opportunities to the people to participate in decision-making at every level in national life and in government. In giving expressions to the active participation of citizens in the governance of their locality. The constitution mandates citizens to elect 70% of members of the District Assemblies while the remaining 30% shall be appointed by the President in consultation with traditional authorities and other interest groups. The Constitution obliges every citizens to contribute to the well-being of the community where that citizens lives. Citizens partake in the activities of Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations to improve the living conditions of the people. Article 1 of the 1st chapter of the Constitution affirms that the sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people of Ghana in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in the constitution. Since the inception of the District Assembly concept in 1989, efforts have been made by some Persons with Disability to see to it that they feel their participation at the various local levels but are not being listened to. These is when the issue of Elijah Humajie a 9 year old boy who is an amputee when a train at Kotoku-Papaase ran over the left hand and left leg cutting it instantly leaving the little boy disable in which justice have not being brought to book. Voice of Developing Communities (VODEC), a research institute and a non-governmental organization wants to state and appeal to leaders in authority at the various public/civil service and private entrepreneurs to abolish the discrimination against people with disabilities. Disable people are estimated to comprise 8-10% of the total population in Ghana, and it is a major cause of poverty. Individuals with disabilities are not only more likely to be poor, but they are subject to prejudice, social isolation and discrimination. Formal education for most people with disabilities, in Ghana, is a hard nut to crack mainly because most of them are intimidated by their disability. Some families unfortunately also discriminate against members with disability. Thus they would rather finance the education of a child without disability than one with a disability VODEC findings revealed that people with disabilities are grossly under-represented mostly because some employees with disabilities fail to disclose their impairment. It was also revealed that major barriers that were encountered by both respondents with disabilities and employers were mainly of physical and social nature. Turnover rates for people with disabilities were higher than those without disabilities. Employment policies on persons with disability were also found to have very minimal impact in terms of improving the employment rate of persons with disability. Appropriate structures be put in place to aid adequate disclosure of information by prospective employees about their impairments to enable organizations put in place the right supportive facilities. Organizations should also adopt proactive and planned approach towards the employment of persons with disabilities. It is further recommended that organizations make audit of both the physical and social working environment to identify the actual barriers to employing persons with disabilities. Employment challenges faced by people with disabilities in Ghana are so many which needs to be look at critically. We should examined real life issues by employment challenges facing people with disability on one hand and employers and policy makers on the other. Disabled persons as a consequence of their disability have reduced capability of activity that causes many difficulties to life, work and studies. The impact of disability on life activities may be different and depends upon the specific context such as the environment-urban or rural and type of country- either developed or less developed and cultural/societal norms as they relate to people with disabilities. This affects the job opportunities of these unfortunate ones since the current employment situation in Ghana is one of very strong competition even for people with formal education. The majority of the population is at higher risk for unemployment, partial employment or full employment at lower wages and people with disabilities are at even greater risk. The employment rate of persons with disability tends to be considerably lower than that of non-disabled people in Ghana. Coming on to the job market with poor education and limited skills, people with disability have difficulties competing. Physical or intellectual impairments may limit their job options. For most, social prejudice makes employers unwilling to hire them. Rates of unemployment among the general adult disabled population vary from country to country but on average, tend to be at 40-60% higher than for the general non disabled population. This is true even in developed countries with well-organized skills training programs to help in the transition from school to work. Moreover, even when they enter the work place, people with disabilities often find little room for error. If they do not succeed in an apprenticeship or are fired from their first job, they are labeled unemployable. The female situation is even more difficult, unemployment among disabled young women is higher than unemployment among comparably educated disabled young men. Even when they have received a good education, they take a longer time to find a position, have less job security and less prospect of advancement with that job. Several conventions have been established by many international organizations and countries as well, to protect the rights of the disabled. The �disability Act of Ghana 715� states that a person shall not discriminate against a prospective employee on an employee on the grounds of disability unless disability is in respect of the relevant employment� It further states in paragraph 89 that �The ministry though the public employment centers, shall assist to secure jobs for persons with disability. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also stated that disabled workers, �whatever the origin of their disability, should be provided with full opportunities for rehabilitation, specialized vocational guidance, training and retraining, and employment for useful work�. It emphasized the �complete equality of opportunity� for men and women. In spite of all these conventions and laws people with disability continue to battle with the situation on the job market and with employers to fully access and protect their rights with respect to equal job and promotional opportunities. Despite the vast numbers involved, little is known about disabled populations. Nevertheless, it must be noted that the development community is changing in this regard and that empirical studies � including many in developing countries � are being launched aimed at providing evidence about the nature, causes and potential interventions regarding disabilities. Families of people with childhood disability must be encouraged to educate their children to the highest they can go. This would improve their chances of gaining good employment. It also eases the family and society of the over burdened dependency of unemployed people with impairment and organizations should adopt a proactive and planned approach to the employment of people with disabilities. The employment procedures for dealing with applicants with disabilities need protocol. Organizations should make thorough investigation of both their physical and social working environment to identify the actual barriers to employing people with disability. In terms of investigating the physical environment, organizations can either choose to do the investigation internally or make use of external consultants through workplace assessments. There is the need for national awareness campaigns to sensitize employers to employ persons with disability and also encourage disable persons to disclose their disability for the right support to be giving to them. SIGNED Abroni Thomas Executive Director Vodec Ghana