Observations within the disability advocacy space in Ghana indicate a clear difference in perspective regarding the most effective way to empower the community. While the ultimate goal for all is to see Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) leading dignified lives, there is a lack of consensus on whether the focus should be on securing high-level government appointments or stable, long-term employment.
By the observation of DisabilityNewsGH.com, this division is particularly evident when comparing the advocacy of groups like the Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities Ghana (VOWACGhana) with the preferences expressed by some members of the NDC Disability Desk and other grassroots advocates.
The Case for Strategic Appointments
Advocates for government appointments, such as VOWACGhana, maintain that the disability community needs more than just a monthly salary; they need the authority to shape national policy.
For this group, a seat at the “policy table” is the only way to influence inclusive development and ensure that the needs of PWDs are considered at the highest levels of governance.
Because of this focus on strategic leadership, VOWACGhana has been notably reluctant to celebrate recent successes involving the employment of PWDs in state agencies.
This includes the recruitment of Mrs. Gladys Agbenu as a Principal Research Assistant at the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) and Madam Joyce Gyamfi as an Assistant Senior Disaster Control Officer at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
While these are professional roles, VOWACGhana argues that they fall under “employment” or labour rather than “appointment” to positions of power.
They believe that until PWDs are appointed as Cabinet Ministers, Ambassadors, or CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises, the community will remain on the fringes of decision-making.
The Argument for Permanent Employment
On the other side of the discussion, many advocates, including some members of the NDC Disability Desk, argue that permanent employment should be the primary priority.
Their reasoning is based on the reality that political appointments are usually “coterminous” – meaning they end the moment the appointing government leaves office or the President decides on a reshuffle.
Those in favour of employment point to high-profile examples of the instability that comes with political appointments.
They cite the case of Dr. Henry Seidu Danaah, who was appointed as Minister for Culture and Chieftaincy affairs during President Mahama’s first term. They ask: “What happened after President Mahama was voted out?”
Similarly, they point to Hon. Joshua Makubu, who was appointed as the Oti Regional Minister under President Nana Akufo-Addo. Following his removal from office in a reshuffle, his current professional status remains unclear.
Advocates of the “employment first” approach argue that if these individuals had been employed in the civil or public service, they would still be in their offices working today, regardless of political changes.
For them, job security and the ability to work beyond a sitting government is the more sustainable path.
Linking the Issue to National Unemployment
This difference in perspective is set against the backdrop of the chronic unemployment situation among PWDs in Ghana.
With the general job market often being inaccessible and discriminatory, the state is seen as the only reliable employer.
For some, an appointment is a quick way to bypass the barriers of a biased recruitment system and get a PWD into a position where they can open doors for others.
For others, the high unemployment rate makes the risk of a four-year political appointment too high; they would rather have a secure, over 20-year career in the civil service.
Both sides of the discussion are essentially responding to the same crisis. Whether through the 5% employment quota or through strategic appointments in an affirmative action, the demand is for the state to take deliberate action.
As the Association of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities prepares for its protest on 24th March, the core issue remains the same: the community is no longer satisfied with being excluded.
Whether they enter through the door of “Employment” or the door of “Appointment,” the demand is for the state to provide a guaranteed and dignified place for PWDs in the national workforce.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
