Parliament: Disability caucus must be visible – Trobu MP

The disability caucus in Parliament need to be more vibrant, “we need to do more advocacy, be very visible and be heard, Mr Moses Anim, Member of Parliament for Trobu Constituency said on Sunday.

He said there were a lot of accessibility issues faced by persons with disability in Ghana that needed to be addressed and there was the need for members of Parliament to update themselves with such issues to speak openly about it.

Mr Anim said this at a disability retreat organised for selected members of Parliament who have formed the disability caucus to advocate for person with disabilities in Ghana.

The two-day retreat organized by Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, a four-year disability programme with a specific focus on mental health and Sight Savers Ghana, a non-governmental organization with support from UK-Aid and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), discussed the disability concept and context in Ghana, accessibility on the built environment and access to services.

The retreat brought together selected members of Parliament and civil society players in the disability sector as well as officials from the National Council on Persons with Disability

Dr Clement Apaak, Chairman of the Disability Caucus in Parliament and member of Parliament for Builsa South said: “We need to adopt a radical approach to issues of accessibility…at this point, we shouldn’t be telling contractors what to do with regards to accessibility.”

Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament for Ketu South and a member of the disability caucus suggested that members should become more visible by making statements on the floor of Parliament.

“We the members of Parliament can end the cycle of advocacy on disability by rising up to speak,” saying, to be disabled did not take away from one’s capabilities.

Mr Alexander Bankole Williams, Chairman of the Advocacy Committee at the GFD, urged the members of parliament to revamp their membership by inviting their colleague members of Parliament to join the caucus.

Mrs Getrude Oforiwaa Fefoame, Committee member of the United Nations Committee on the rights of persons with disabilities, advised stakeholders to do their advocacy and build the momentum on the basis of the human rights of persons with disabilities and not on emotions.