Despite nearly two decades since the passage of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Ghana continue to face widespread barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and accessible public infrastructure — a situation former Minister of State, Dr Freda Prempeh, says can no longer be ignored.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) as the world marks the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Dr Prempeh stressed that the country is falling short of its own legal commitments. Public buildings, schools, hospitals, and essential service centres, she noted, remain largely inaccessible, leaving many PwDs excluded from opportunities that should be guaranteed by law.
This year’s celebration, themed “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” has rekindled debate about Ghana’s slow progress in disability inclusion. Dr Prempeh emphasised that Act 715 was designed to protect the rights and dignity of all PwDs — yet implementation remains weak.
She expressed concern that many PwDs are still forced onto the streets to beg for survival due to economic hardship and the absence of inclusive systems. “It is troubling that after all these years, we still see PwDs struggling on the streets and unable to access basic facilities. Disability inclusion is not charity — it is a constitutional obligation,” she said.
As founder of the Ultimate Women Foundation (UWF), which empowers indigenous women and girls including PwDs, Dr Prempeh called for a national shift toward economic empowerment and social reintegration for persons living with disabilities.
She warned that Ghana risks missing its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 if PwDs are not fully included in the development process. “The SDGs promise to leave no one behind, but without ensuring full participation of PwDs, that promise will remain unfulfilled,” she noted.
While acknowledging some progress, including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s disability-friendly infrastructure in Accra, she maintained that such efforts must become the norm rather than the exception.
Dr Prempeh reiterated the urgency for government and stakeholders to enforce Act 715 and ensure accessible schools, hospitals, and public buildings at all levels, saying only then can Ghana build a society where every citizen can contribute meaningfully to national development.
