The Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities has presented a formal petition to the President of the Republic, issuing a “manifesto for inclusion” that demands an immediate end to the systemic exclusion of qualified PWDs from Ghana’s economic landscape.
During their “Enough is Enough” demonstration on 24th March, the Coalition – representing over 300 tertiary-educated professionals, challenged the Presidency to move beyond rhetoric and provide a concrete pathway for PWDs to participate in the national workforce.
“We do not seek charity; we seek the dignity of earned income,” stated the petition, signed by Convener Gilbert Boateng Agyare. “As members of this Coalition, we possess the academic qualifications and the professional skills to contribute to the nation, yet we remain sidelined by systemic barriers and persistent unemployment.”
The “Silent Keep Out” Signs of Discrimination
The petition highlights the sophisticated barriers that prevent qualified PWDs from securing employment.
The graduates described the lack of “reasonable accommodation” – such as accessible physical workspaces and digital platforms, as a “silent ‘Keep Out’ sign“ that bars persons with sensory and physical impairments from professional roles.
The Coalition further noted that while the Persons with Disabilities Act (Act 715) provides a legal framework, the specific provisions regarding employment quotas and incentives for employers remain largely unenforced.
This has led to a recruitment culture that “consistently overlooks” overqualified PWDs in favour of able-bodied applicants.
A 7-Point Roadmap for Immediate Action
To address these failures, the Coalition presented seven specific demands for the Presidency to implement with urgency:
1. Immediate Recruitment Roadmap: A formal plan to employ the current backlog of 300+ unemployed tertiary graduates with disabilities into the public sector.
2. Executive Instrument on Quotas: The issuance of a policy directive ensuring a specific percentage of recruitment in all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) is reserved for qualified PWDs.
3. Separate Recruitment Clearance: A demand for a dedicated recruitment process to ensure PWDs are not disadvantaged when competing against able-bodied applicants in general clearance exercises.
4. Accessibility Audits: A commissioned audit of all government buildings and digital platforms to ensure they meet international standards (GSA/ISO), enabling PWDs to function effectively in professional roles.
5. Private Sector Tax Incentives: The strengthening and publicising of tax incentives available to private companies that document the employment of PWDs.
6. End to Systemic Bias: An immediate overhaul of recruitment processes that currently favour “able-bodied individuals over overqualified PWDs.”
7. Direct Presidential Engagement: An urgent meeting between the Coalition leadership and the Presidency to co-create a roadmap for immediate job placement for the members on their list.
The High Cost of Exclusion
The petition brings into sharp focus the reality that unemployment among PWD graduates has hit a ‘critical level,’ with devastating consequences for their livelihoods and mental well-being.
The Coalition argues that disability should be viewed as a “unique perspective” that enriches the national workforce, rather than a burden.
“Our disability is not an inability,” the petition concluded. “We trust that this petition will be met with the urgency and empathy it deserves.”
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
