Public structures should be made accessible to the disabled

Apam, (C/R), Oct. 1, GNA - The Central Regional Chairman of Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, Mr. Ransford Mensah has appealed to the government, architects and other public service providers to consider the plight of the disabled in the design and construction of public structures.

Mr. Mensah said architectural designing should not be a barrier to the disabled in getting access to public facilities, adding, "how could one expect a cripple to squat on a toilet which has no facility for sitting."

He made the appeal at a training workshop for some leaders of the society drawn from Mfantseman and Gomoa Districts at Apam. The four-day workshop, which was sponsored by the World Bank through its Small Grants Programme was to build the capacity of the leaders to enable them organise themselves to fight for their rights. Miss Praxides Chisakuta and Cho Ausu, both of the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSOs) were the resource persons at the workshop. They took the participants through The Local Government System, Advocacy and Lobbying Skills, Group Mobilisation, Fund raising Skills among other relevant subject areas.

Mr. Robert Mensah, an official of the Gomoa District Education Directorate exhorted head teachers and teachers to discourage school children from making a mockery of physically challenged persons. He advised parents not to regard disabled persons as witches or wizards but rather help them to integrate fully into society. They should also help disabled persons to lead a decent lives. Miss Joyce Mildred Aidoo, Gomoa District Chief Executive, advised the leadership of the society to discourage members from taking to the streets to beg for alms.

She urged them to organise themselves to enable them access some of the poverty reduction interventions to help them establish themselves in gainful ventures.