Okaikoi North MCE Raps PLWD’s

Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD’s) in the Okaikoi North Municipality in Accra are set to heave a sigh of relief as the government rolls up plans to better their standards of living.

According to Nii Boye Laryea, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) the Nana Addo-led government is committed to the concerns of PLWD’s in the country.

He disclosed that plans are afoot to accommodate PLWDS stressing that the Municipality in the next two years would build a disability friendly facility accessible to all PLWDs.

Mr. Boye Laryea in his maiden interaction with PLWDs in his Municipality stated that Common Fund allocating to PLWDs has been increased from 2 percent to 3 percent indicative of the government’s resolve to better the lives of PLWDs.

The Okaikoi North MCE said that it is also part of the government’s plans to construct an office for PLWDs with a desk allocated to address their concerns and issues.

Further touching on the need to make public places accessible to all PLWDs, he was emphatic that toilet facilities which are not disability friendly in the Municipality is a thing of the past.

“I am assuring you that hence forth every toilet to be built in the Municipality would be disability friendly” he said.

Godwin Awuye, General Secretary of the group in the Okaikoi North Municipality early on in a speech berated past and present governments for paying lip service to their concerns.

He wondered if the continuous celebration of the International Day for PLWDs was important in the Ghanaian context.

“…it’s like our leaders are not thinking good for us, this disability days has been celebrated with former presidents J. J Rawlings for eight years; J. A Kuffour for eight years; J.E A Mills, 4 years; John Mahama, 4 years and now Nana Addo for 2 years” Awuye noted adding that “I am asking what is the outcome of all these celebrations?”

Anthony Adarkwah, President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) urged the government to pass the Legislative Instrument (LI) that strengthens the Disability Act of 2016.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson