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The third anniversary of the passage of the Seven Hundred and Fifteenth Act (Act 715) of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana entitled Persons with Disability Act, 2006 was held on Tuesday June 23, 2009.
On the same day, the Ghana Federation of the Disabled and its subsidiary Organisations of Persons with Disability (OPWDs), as well as, partner organisations observed the Third National Day of the Disabled. This year's National Day of the Disabled (NDD) would be observed in Accra and in the regions and districts under the theme, A Call to Action: Implementation of the Disability Act.
One of the high points of the celebration was the distribution of 2000 copies of Act 715 at vantage points across the country to target groups as a way of improving awareness about the law.
Article 29 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees the rights of the disabled and explicitly mandates Parliament to enact legislations to protect these rights.
Article 29 (8) states: "Parliament shall enact laws as are necessary to ensure the enforcement of the provisions of this article." In addition, the Constitution charges the Executive under the Directive Principles of State Policy in Article 37(2 ) (b)] to enact appropriate laws to assure "the protection and promotion of all other basic human rights and freedoms, including the rights of the disabled?"
Yet, 12 years after the promulgation of the Constitution, little was done until 2005 when NPP government took the bull by the horns to lay the bill on disability before Parliament.
The law was eventually passed on June 23, 2006, but getting it off the ground had proved difficult due to the government's failure to inaugurate the National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD).
With the NCPD now constituted under the chairmanship of Mr. Andrew Okai Koi, it is expected as the second National Day on Disability is being held the sector ministries charged with promoting the welfare of persons with disability would wake up from their slumber.
Specific mention has to be made of the Ministries of Employment and Social Welfare, and Education which are charged with the responsibility of enacting various Legislative Instruments to catalyse the full implementation of Act 715. Without doubt, varying forms of legislative instruments are imperative for the full implementation of the Act. Merely putting the NCPD in place may not be enough.
There are so many provisions contained in the Act which need the attention of policy makers and all Ghanaians- property owners, drivers, teacher the security agencies etc. We all owe the persons with disability a duty to live happy and productive lives.
This newspaper hopes the Act will not just be another piece of legislation passed for its sake, but all stakeholders will ensure the enforcement of its provisions.
Source: the Public Agenda
For more information, please visit:www.ghanaweb.com/public_agenda/article
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