On the eve of International Wheelchair Day, celebrated annually on March 1 to promote inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities, the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) has issued a compelling call to action.
The day aims to raise awareness about the rights and needs of people with disabilities, particularly those who use wheelchairs, and challenge stigma surrounding physical disability.
The GSPD is urging the Presidency to move beyond policy statements and address the systemic exclusion of qualified disabled graduates from the national workforce.
In a statement released to mark the occasion, the Society highlighted a painful irony: while physically disabled Ghanaians have successfully navigated the rigors of universities and training colleges, they continue to face “closed doors” once they enter the job market.
This comes despite the existence of a 5% employment quota for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the public sector – a policy that the GSPD maintains remains largely unenforced.
The National President of the GSPD, Courage Wormenor, pointed to the recruitment cycles of the nation’s security agencies and public institutions as a clear example of this disparity.
“We have fought for access to education, excelled in training colleges and universities, and demonstrated our capacity to contribute meaningfully to national development,” the statement noted. “Yet, the 5% employment quota remains largely unenforced, leaving many stranded. While our peers are being recruited into the police, fire, immigration, and armed forces, we are too often met with closed doors.”
In a move that mirrors an official petition to the Flagstaff House, the Society turned its attention directly to the Executive, framing the employment of disabled graduates not as an act of charity, but as a strategic investment in the nation’s human capital.
The Appeal to the Presidency
Addressing the Head of State directly, Mr. Wormenor stated: “Mr. President, we respectfully urge you to prioritise the appointment and recruitment of qualified physically disabled graduates into public sector roles. They are not merely beneficiaries of policy – they are assets to this nation. Empower them to shape minds, strengthen institutions, and inspire future generations.”
The Society argued that the presence of wheelchair users in visible public sector roles would have a transformative effect on the Ghanaian psyche, providing much-needed role models for students and challenging the long-standing stigma surrounding physical disability.
“Imagine the transformative impact of a wheelchair user serving as a role model to students across Ghana,” the statement continued. “Let us move beyond policy statements and translate commitments into concrete action. It is time to unlock the full potential of physically disabled Ghanaians.”
As the world celebrates International Wheelchair Day, the GSPD’s message serves as a reminder that for many Ghanaians, the wheelchair is not a symbol of inability, but a tool of potential that remains restricted by institutional barriers.
The Society remains hopeful that this year’s commemoration will signal a shift toward genuine economic inclusion and the enforcement of the laws designed to protect the rights of all citizens.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
