A group calling itself the Coalition of Unemployed Tertiary Graduates with Disabilities has issued a stern one-month ultimatum to the Government of Ghana, demanding an immediate roadmap for their employment or facing a massive nationwide protest that could see the seats of power occupied.
In a scathing press statement released on Monday, the Coalition expressed “utter disappointment, frustration, and rising anger” over what they describe as a systemic neglect of their right to work and dignity. Despite holding degrees and certifications in fields such as Law, Education, Administration, and Information Technology, hundreds of qualified Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) say they have been left to languish in poverty for over six years.
A Crisis of Exclusion
The Coalition highlighted a “grim reality” backed by data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census and recent 2025 labour statistics. While PWDs make up approximately 8% of Ghana’s population—representing over 2.1 million people—their unemployment rate in the formal sector is nearly double the national average.
According to the statement, only 27% of PWDs of working age are gainfully employed, compared to 56% of persons without disabilities. This disparity, the group argues, forces many highly educated individuals into the informal sector or onto the streets to beg, flagrantly violating the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
Holding the President to His Word
The group specifically called out His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, regarding promises made during the recent launch of the Free Tertiary Education for PWDs policy.
“The President stated pellucidly that he was going to implement a 5% quota employment policy for persons with disabilities across the country in all public and private sector recruitment,” the statement noted. “We are not asking for charity; we are demanding our right to work. We have been ‘educated for the shelf’ for too long.”
The Coalition further reminded the government of its international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, which mandate inclusive and accessible labour markets.
The Demands
To avert a national crisis, the Coalition has laid out three primary demands:
1. An immediate roadmap for the recruitment of the current backlog of unemployed tertiary-educated PWDs into the public sector.
2. Full implementation of the 5% employment quota in all government agencies and the introduction of incentives for private companies that hire PWDs.
3. An end to systemic barriers during recruitment processes that traditionally favour able-bodied individuals over qualified PWDs.
A Vow to Occupy
The Government has been given exactly 30 days to respond with a concrete, actionable plan. Should the ultimatum expire without a satisfactory response, the Coalition has vowed to mobilize members from all sixteen regions for a massive demonstration.
“Failure to act will leave us with no choice but to hit the streets in our numbers,” the statement warned. “We will mobilize with our wheelchairs, our white canes, and our crutches to occupy the seats of power until our voices are heard. We will demonstrate against the State’s blatant disregard for our lives and our futures.”
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Office of the President are yet to issue a formal response to the Coalition’s statement.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
