Goldstar Airlines to establish multimedia to support disabled

Goldstar Airlines is to team up with Seasons Travel and Tours International to open a multimedia group to support the disabled in Ghana.

The multi-media group to be called Pidic Multimedia, has been registered with the Registrar General's Department and would start work soon after the Goldstar Airline begins operations in Ghana from next June 13.

Mr Eric Bannerman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Seasons Travel and Tours said Pidic Multimedia, which would be based in Accra would comprise a television station, a radio station, newspaper and an online sports website.

The CEO told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in an interview in Accra that the multimedia group would be manned mainly by the disabled and the chunk of the content of the newspaper and the programmes in the broadcast media focusing on issues affecting the disabled.

He regretted that there has been a deliberate attempt to sideline people with disabilities, and added that disability should not be seen as inability.

Citing Dr Henry Seidu Daanaa, the current Minister for Chieftaincy of Affairs, Mr Bannerman said the physically challenged could contribute more to the progress and development of the nation if offered the platform and assistance.

"We hope to help the disabled in society. The stations would be manned by the physically challenged. We have neglected them for far too long. We have to create space for them in the society," Mr Bannerman said, adding that Pidic Multimedia would be issued to propagate the issues of the disabled.

According to the CEO, issues of heaIth, education, sports and other welfare issues would feature prominently in programmes.

Mr Bannerman, who is also the founder and president of the National Disabled Supporters Union (NDSU) said Goldstar Airline is to collaborate with Seasons Travel and Tours to airlift more than 500 disabled supporters from Ghana to cheer up Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars, in next month’s World Cup tournament in Brazil.

He recalled that Seasons Travel and Tours provided similar support to the disabled during the last African Cup of Nation Tournament in South Africa.

"Persons with disabilities are always sidelined when it comes to mobilization of supporters to international competitions, and I think it is discriminatory.

"We want to offer them the opportunity to be part of history this time. That is why we have decided to form the group to serve as a platform for mobilizing supporters to the World Cup, he stated.

He said when the Goldstar Airlines commences operations next month it would fly Accra -London- Accra two times weekly and Accra-Baltimore-Accra two times weekly.

The airline would also do Accra-Guangzhou-Accra once a week as its local partner Seasons Travel and Tours International offers free visas to all people traveling on the airline to Brazil for the 2014 world cup journey.

Mr Bannernman said the airline is also poised to take its share in the upcoming world cup in Brazil, and has positioned itself to make the most of the opportunities that the world cup in Brazil will bring.