After hours of impassioned demonstrations across several major streets in Accra on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Ghana’s National Disability Sports Fraternity submitted a formal petition demanding the immediate overhaul of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) and a complete transformation of the management of disability sports in the country.
The petition, addressed to the Honorable Speaker of Parliament and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, outlines a disturbing pattern of mismanagement, marginalisation of disabled athletes, corruption, and abuse of power within the Paralympic Committee.
The group alleges a systematic scheme of visa fraud, where able-bodied individuals falsely claiming to represent Ghana at international disability sporting events are granted visas for personal gain.
The petition highlights a five-year history of ignored warnings and pleas for action, citing numerous incidents, including the “Norwegian Visa Saga” and the recent “Colombian Visa Scam.” The group accuses the Ministry of Youth and Sports of complicity, alleging that some officials are beneficiaries of this corrupt system.
“We, the elite athletes who have worked hard to gain global recognition for Ghana, are deeply disappointed and outraged by this unethical and unaccountable practice,” the petition states. “This visa racketeering not only constitutes a national disgrace and an abuse of the disability population, but it also poses a serious threat to national security.”
The petition demands immediate action from the government, including:
• The establishment of a normalisation committee to oversee the restructuring of the National Paralympic Committee.
• The removal of the current NPC president and his associates who have been accused of mismanagement and corruption.
• The reinstatement of legitimate member National Federations and Associations that have been unjustly sidelined.
• A commitment to “Nothing about us without us” – ensuring that the disability community is actively involved in the management and development of disability sports.
One of the convenors of the demonstration, Alex Tetteh, revealed in an interview with DisabilityNewsGH.com the outrageous increase in filing fees for the recent National Paralympic Committee elections.
“The filing fees for the recently-held congress were increased to GHc30,000, GHc15,000, and GHc8,000. How many persons with disabilities can raise GHc30,000 to contest?” he questioned.
He asserted that the increased fees were “a strategic move to deny persons with disabilities the chance to participate in the management of para sports in the country.”
Tetteh also revealed that even the delegates who voted were not from the disability sports fraternity, questioning the legitimacy of the election. “How can people vote to elect the leaders of a sport they don’t participate in?” he asked.
The situation, according to Tetteh, has resulted in the election of able-bodied people as members of the National Paralympic Committee Ghana, a situation he described as absurd.
The petition concludes with a stark warning: “Failure to cooperate and respect our demands will result in the establishment of a parallel National Paralympic Committee Ghana for the disabled, run by the disabled, within the next three months.”
This bold petition signals a growing movement within Ghana’s disability sports community to take control of their own destiny. They are demanding a system that prioritises their needs, ensures fair representation, and safeguards the integrity of Paralympic sport in Ghana.
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SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com