By DisabilityNewsGH
Some members of the disability community in Ghana, including a former Member of Parliament are advocating for the National Disability Day to be made a public holiday.
They believe that apart from giving the day a national recognition, it will also draw the attention of the public to issues of disability, including the existence of the Disability Act 2006, Act 715.
The Parliament of Ghana in 2006 passed the Disability Act in accordance with article 29, clause 8 of the 1992 Constitution.
The Act spells out the rights of persons with disabilities in Ghana, which serves as a base for persons with disabilities to participate in the Ghanaian society as a matter of right.
Since June 23, 2009 after the inauguration of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, the disability movement in the country set June 23 every year to commemorate the passage of the Act as Ghana’s National Disability Day.
So far, the day is celebrated only by the disability community, and mostly only in Accra.
Some of the participants at this year’s event spoke to DisabilityNewsGH.com about the need for the state to take interest in making the day a public holiday.
A disability rights advocate and former Member of Parliament for Krachi Nchumuru in the Oti Region, Hon. John Ajisi noted that not many people knew about the Disability Act, and making the day a public holiday, with various activities happening across the country, would provide a national platform for awareness creation.
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SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com