State Institutions Challenged to Provide Disability Friendly Structures

09-03-2011
An advocate for Social Justice and a former Assembly member for Zaare Electoral Area of the Upper East Region, Alagskoma Asakeya Noble, has observed with grave concern the existence of various infrastructural facilities without the provision of accessibility for persons with disability. Speaking to Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga Mr Asakeya Noble said to enable persons with disability to live independently and participate fully in all aspect of society, policy makers and state parties should take appropriate steps to ensure that such persons have access, on an equal basis with others facilities and services provided to the public, both in rural and urban areas. Moreover facilities including buildings, schools, medical facilities, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities and workplaces should be made disability friendly. The provision of these facilities he said would help promote an inclusive society where persons with all forms of disability would have equal access to facilities open to the public. Mr. Asakeya Noble however called on parliament to as a matter of urgency pass a law to make it mandatory for all structures to be disability friendly. He also called on private entities that offer facilities and services to the public to take into account all aspect of accessibility for persons with disability. Mr. Asakeya Noble, further stressed the need to promote forms of assistance and intermediaries including signage in Braille, professional language interpreters and easy to read materials to help facilitate accessibility to buildings and other facilities made available to the public. Stakeholder training on accessibility issues facing persons with disability should be periodically organized to find lasting solutions to the problem. He said society has come to realize the enormous contribution persons with disability play in the socio-economic development of the country, hence the need to seek to their right and wellbeing.

GBC END IA/