This year’s career fair of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) was held in Accra yesterday with a call on businesses to employ PWDs.
According to the President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFDO) Mr Yaw Ofori Debra, PWDs are normal human beings who are endowed with numerous capabilities and skills and could help promote the socio-economic development of the country if employed in any organisation.
He said the career fair was organised as part of activities to mark this year’s World Disability Day towards creating awareness on the plight of PWDs.
Speaking on the theme “Employment of Persons with Disabilities, a Key to Diversity and Inclusion” he noted that the inability of PWDs did not in any way affect their capabilities stressing that “beyond our disability there are capabilities.”
He noted that PWDs after their National Service wallow in desperation for jobs because no company was ready to employ them thus making them feel unwanted in society.
Addressing the challenges of employment with PWDs he stated that the GFDO had set up an employment desk among others to tackle the situation.
Mr Debra bemoaned the culture where most parents were not ready to invest in their children with disability; this he said was because “the parents lack the knowledge to see the potential value of their investment in them.”
The president indicated that if PWDs are given opportunities it would serve as incentives to parents with PWDs to enrol their wards in schools.
Mr Debra encouraged parents of PWDs to invest in their wards’ education in order to enable them earn income.
He further called on government to work closely with GFDO to help address the unemployment challenges of PWDs to enable them support their families and society at large.
The Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP) Ms Gifty Twum Ampofo on her part urged parents with children with disability to educate and train their children to eradicate poverty in the country.
She further advised that they register on government’s Livelihood Empowerment Programme (LEAP) which seeks to end poverty and promote access to health and education among others.
The Director of Special Duties at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations Dr Stephen Bismark Amponsah who read a speech on behalf of the sector Minister reiterated government’s position of improving the living conditions of PWDs as it remained a priority.
He noted that to achieve the United Nations Agenda 2030, there was the need to fully implement policies, programmes and interventions targeted for PWDs.
He said despite the promulgation of the Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), a number of facilities and services remained in accessible to PWDs.
“We need to intensify compliance and enforcement of laws on PWDs to ensure the socio-economic impacts we envisage on their well-being become a reality,” he stressed.
BY ALLIA NOSHIE
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