By DisabilityNewGH
A member of the National Council on Persons with Disability, Madam Emma Bruce-Lyle is calling for a conscious effort by the government to improve the conditions of persons with disabilities in the country.
She wants the government to consider making provisions for disability matters in national budget statements.
Madam Bruce-Lyle contends that if the government cannot do that, then it should make the National Council on Persons with Disability autonomous to enable it work effectively in the interest of persons with disabilities.
The National Council on Persons with Disability is the state agency for disability matters. It is a creation of the Disability Act 2006, Act 715; with the responsibility of proposing and evolving policies that would mainstream persons with disabilities in the national development process. However, the disability community describes it as a powerless council, as its operation is controlled by the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social protection.
At the 2022 National Disability Day celebration organized in Accra on June 23, by GFD and Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, members of a panel that led discussions at the event lamented about the lack of power and resources for the council to work to improve the lives of persons with disabilities in the country.
Madam Bruce-Lyle who complained about the absence of allocations for disability matters in budget statements of the country, is advocating for autonomy status for the council, if issues of disability would not be captured in budget statements.
Former Member of Parliament for Krachi Nchumuru in the Oti Region, Hon. John Ajisi, called for the amendment bill seeking to review the Disability Act 2006, Act 715, to capture autonomy status of the council.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com