This was disclosed by Mr. Francis Asong, the Director of VOICE GHANA in an interview with Daily Guide in Ho on Tuesday, 25th February 2014. Mr. Asong said majority of persons with disabilities in the country have no idea as to how governance is conducted around them because they are largely unrepresented in local governance. This, he said can be evidenced in the representations of Assembly and Unit Committee membership of several Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies - MMDAs. VOICE Ghana, Mr. Asong disclosed, is undertaking this project to among others, empower some interested persons with disabilities in the Agortime-Ziofe and Adaklu Districts to contest the 2014 Unit Committee Level Elections. The project will also engage the Volta Regional Offices of the Electoral Commission in Ho and the District Offices at Agortime Kpetoe to ensure accessible voter registration centres and polling stations for persons with disabilities during the forthcoming District Level Elections. They will also prompt the Commission to include more qualified persons with disabilities as Registration and Polling Staff during the elections. Mr. Asong condemned the cultural practices and beliefs that portray disability in a negative and an ugly manner, and commended the government for appointing few persons with disabilities as a Minister and District Chief Executives including Honourable Jacob Asongode, the District Chief Executive for the Kedjebi District. He added that the government could do more than this by appointing more qualified persons with disabilities to serve on several capacities including diplomatic missions. Mr. Asong calls on all MMDAs to consider including qualified persons with disabilities as ex officio members of their Sub Committees as well as government appointees in their respective Assemblies. He also appeals to Assembly Members in the country to consider creating a Disability Caucus in their respective MMDAs to champion the developmental needs of persons with disabilities so that they can equally benefit from provision of public goods and services and community development projects. Signed by: Francis Asong On behalf of VOICE GHANA 25th February 2014 |
