The Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of Ghana, Dr. Augustina Naami has constructed 3 access ramps for the Ghanata Senior High School, Dodowa.
The ramps are meant to make some specific parts of the school environment accessible to a first-year student with cerebral palsy.
The improved structures include a classroom which will be his class for the 3-year studies at the school, the dining hall and a washroom dedicated to him.
Adonai Studios, a social enterprise that is into disability rights advocacy requested Dr. Naami’s intervention when it discovered that the buildings at the school were all not accessible to Gabriel Buertey Narh, who had SHS placement there after his Basic Education Certificate Examination.
At a ceremony on Friday, February 16, 2024, to hand over the ramps, Dr. Augustina Naami called on the government to be intentional about disability inclusion, by ensuring that all educational facilities in the country are disability-friendly.
She urged teachers to take special interest in the development of their students with disabilities, adding that some children with disabilities also have learning difficulties that require special attention.
She called on corporate entities and well-meaning Ghanaians to support her campaign to make the built environment accessible to persons with disabilities.
Dr. Augustina Naami, after undertaking research into the challenges persons with disabilities face in accessing the built environment in Ghana, embarked on a campaign to change the situation. In 2022, she launched an initiative dubbed “Breaking Barriers Campaign”. She targets to build at least 5 access ramps annually for buildings, including public facilities and compound houses where persons with disabilities reside.
She aims to improve access and ensure the safety and inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream society.
Since 2022, she has constructed a total of 16 ramps for 6 basic schools in the Ga East Municipality, a vocational school at Kaneshie-Accra, and Ghanata SHS-Dodowa.
Dr. Naami also donated a video camera to aid Gabriel’s studies. The camera will be used to capture activities on the board which will serve as notes for him.
Gabriel has a severe form of cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder that affects movement, muscle tone and posture. The condition has rendered him paralyzed and also unable to use his hands. He, therefore, relies on aid to do everything.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com