Ghana’s unwavering commitment to disability inclusion, particularly within its mining communities, took center stage at the “EMPOWERED ACCESS 2025” event on December 3, 2025.
Held in Kumasi to mark the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” the event saw critical pledges from government agencies and a crucial panel discussion exploring the devastating negative impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on the lives of persons with disabilities in the country.
The discussions reinforced the event’s sub-theme: “Promoting Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities in Mining Prone Communities in Ghana.”
The day’s proceedings began with a warm welcome address delivered by Madam Joyce Gyamfi, an officer of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Following the welcome, the Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, addressed the gathering, emphasising the critical role of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in national development. With profound conviction, the Administrator stated, “Persons with Disabilities are not on the margins of our development agenda, they are at its very heart.”
Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei highlighted the fund’s sacred mandate: to ensure the nation’s mineral wealth translates into sustainable livelihoods and inclusive prosperity for host communities.
Acknowledging historical injustices, she noted, “For too long, mining-affected communities have endured the consequences of environmental harm while being excluded from the benefits of development. And within these communities, Persons with Disabilities have been the most invisible, the most neglected, and the most left behind.” Today, the Administrator declared, “No more.”
To address this, the MDF is partnering with “Look Beyond Disability Women Entrepreneurs and Advocacy” to launch “EMPOWERED ACCESS.” This pioneering programme is designed to empower PWDs across mining communities in Ghana with crucial advocacy training, vocational skills, and comprehensive economic empowerment support.
Further building on this commitment, the MDF is rolling out a comprehensive Skills Training Fellowship Programme. This initiative serves as an alternative livelihood pathway for young people in mining communities, steering them away from illegal mining (galamsey) towards sustainable and productive futures.
The programme will offer certified vocational skills in diverse areas such as tailoring, electrical works, hairdressing, soap-making, and agribusiness. “Here is our commitment: At least 30% of the beneficiaries selected for this fellowship programme will be Persons with Disabilities,” the Administrator affirmed. “This is not charity. This is justice. This is inclusion. This is our responsibility.”
Later, addressing the gathering, Mr. Jacob Atule, Deputy CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA), delivered the Authority’s remarks, bringing the warmest greetings and unwavering support from the NYA.
He offered a deeply insightful perspective on the day’s theme, particularly “Promoting Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities in Mining Prone Communities in Ghana.”
“When we speak of health equity in mining communities, I hear not just a policy issue, but a matter of survival and dignity for my brothers and sisters,” Mr. Atule shared, directly echoing the concerns raised in the earlier panel discussion.
He powerfully articulated the concept of “double marginalisation” faced by PWDs in mining areas, where the challenges of disability are compounded by the environmental and social devastation of galamsey. “This strikes at the core of our national conscience and our legal obligations,” He stated.
Mr. Jacob Atule affirmed that the NYA’s work is firmly rooted in the Ghana Youth Charter and the National Youth Policy, both of which guarantee the full participation of every young person, including a dedicated focus on “Youth with Special Needs.”
He posed a poignant question, “How can a youth with a visual or mobility impairment thrive in a landscape where the very waterways are poisoned and the land is scarred?”
Under the global theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” Mr. Atule’s message resonated with a deep conviction: “Persons with Disabilities are not on the margins of our development agenda, they are at its very heart.”
He outlined a multi-faceted approach by the NYA to ensure full inclusion, particularly for youth with disabilities in vulnerable mining communities.
Key Pillars of NYA’s Inclusion Strategy:
1. Inclusive Programming by Design: The NYA is undertaking a comprehensive review of all its initiatives to ensure they are “physically and communicatively accessible.” This means that vital elements like sign language interpretation, braille materials, and ramp access will now be integrated as “design principles, not afterthoughts,” into all programming.
2. Enhanced Representation: Beyond mere beneficiaries, the NYA is committed to ensuring youth with disabilities are actively represented in its leadership structures. Crucially, they will be included among the four Youth Representatives nominated to participate in key national dialogues.
3. Vigorous Advocacy Partnership: The NYA pledged a strong partnership with disability organisations, vowing to “use our platform to amplify the findings from this gathering.”
The CEO emphasised that health challenges faced by PWDs – from contaminated water to inaccessible clinics – are fundamentally youth development issues that the Authority will champion.
Mr. Atule issued clear directives and appeals to various stakeholders:
• To Government Colleagues: “Our policies must have teeth,” the Deputy CEO asserted, calling for rigorous enforcement of environmental protection laws, not just for ecosystems, but for the most vulnerable human populations within them.
He also demanded that social intervention programmes integrate “clear disability-inclusive tracking indicators.”
• To the Mining Sector (Formal and Informal): A stern warning was issued: “Your social license to operate is contingent on your respect for human rights.” The CEO declared the health of communities, including PWDs, as a direct responsibility of the mining sector, demanding “accountability and remediation.”
• To Fellow Youth with Disabilities: In a powerful message of empowerment, Mr. Atule encouraged them: “Your voice is your power. Do not let anyone relegate your concerns. You are not a problem to be solved; you are partners in crafting the solution. Continue to organise, to speak out, and to lead.”
Both Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei and Mr. Jacob Atule converged on commending His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama’s administration for its visionary leadership in disability inclusion.
The MDF Administrator lauded the groundbreaking free tertiary education policy for PWDs, calling it a “historic decision that sends a powerful message: that every Ghanaian, regardless of physical ability, deserves access to quality education and the opportunity to contribute fully to national development.”
Concluding her address, Dr. Bisiw-Kotei underscored that fostering inclusive societies is “not an act of charity. It is an act of justice, of smart economics, and of national building.”
She shared a profound insight: “progress is not always seen; it is felt. It is felt in the smooth pathway free of obstacles, in the accessible information, in the fairness of opportunity, and in the respect accorded to every individual.”
The speech ended with a resolute call to action: “Let us leave here today with a concrete action plan. Let us commit to making health equity a reality, not a theme. Let us build a Ghana where no young person, regardless of ability, is left behind in the dust of progress or the pits of illegal mining.” The CEO urged a collective shift “from dialogue to determined action.”
The robust commitments from the MDF and NYA, alongside the critical insights from the panel discussion, signal a new era for disability inclusion in Ghana’s youth development landscape, promising tangible changes for PWDs across the nation, especially in communities most affected by resource extraction.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
