The Speaker of Parliament has officially endorsed the action plan and strategic roadmap of the Parliamentary Caucus on Disability, pledging total legislative support for all initiatives aimed at advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in Ghana.
The endorsement followed a high-level meeting between the Speaker and leadership of the Parliamentary Caucus on Disability to present the outcomes and resolutions of their recent stakeholders’ workshop.
Confirming the outcome of the engagement, the Chairman of the Caucus, Hon. Dr Clement Apaak, described the session as highly productive and a major boost for disability rights advocacy within the legislature.
“Our caucus meeting with the Speaker was very productive. He has pledged to support us in everything we do, and he fully endorsed our plans and activities,“ Dr Apaak revealed.
The Speaker’s explicit backing provides crucial institutional authority to the Caucus’s priority agenda, which includes:
1. Fast-Tracking the PWD Amendment Bill: Applying parliamentary pressure on Cabinet to transmit the revised draft Disability Amendment Bill to Parliament for swift passage.
2. Enforcing Accountability: Rolling out oversight mechanisms – such as the proposed institutional “League Table” to publicly hold public and private entities accountable for accessibility and rights violations.
3. Protecting the Common Fund: Strengthening parliamentary oversight to eradicate fraud and delays surrounding the 5% Disability Common Fund at the district assembly level.
With the head of the legislature fully committed to the Caucus’s roadmap, disability advocates can expect smoother legislative processes, prioritised parliamentary debates, and stronger bipartisan support for inclusion policies moving forward.
Background to the Caucus Engagements
The meeting with the Speaker follows a two-day strategic workshop convened in Accra by the Parliamentary Caucus on Disability, which brought together lawmakers, civil society groups, and key sector ministries and state agencies mandated to protect disability rights.
The workshop established a unified legislative roadmap, including fast-tracking the draft PWD Amendment Bill, enforcing building accessibility, and eliminating fraud in the 5% Disability Common Fund.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
