Business News of Saturday, 30 November 2013

Source: GNA

Hand over operation of toll booth to PWDs – VODEC

Mr Thomas Abroni, Executive Director of Voice of Developing Communities (VODEC) Ghana, has called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to hand over the operations of toll booth to Persons With Disability (PWDs).

He said handing over the operations of toll both classified as sedentary job to PWDs was a first step towards ending discrimination against people with disabilities.

Mr Abroni, who made the call in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, appealed to the sector Minister to fashion out modalities to engage PWDs to operate toll booth across the country.

He also expressed concern over increased discrimination against PWDs and wondered why abled persons who face little social and economic challenges continued to do sedentary work.

Mr Abroni observed that PWDs were increasingly facing limited access to education, employment; stigmatization, social exclusion, negative socio-cultural perception and poverty.

He suggested that the Kpobiman toll booth along the Kumasi Highway which was yet to be commissioned should be given out to PWDs to operate, when completed.

He said an estimated 70 per cent of PWDs living in rural areas encounter a lot of challenges in participating in decision making as well as accessing information, resources and job opportunities.

Mr Abroni appealed to state actors and leaders in authority to adopt and implement practical measures to help abolish discrimination against PWDs.