Mahama endorses 5% minimum employment for PWDs in Bill proposed by Sosu

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has endorsed a Private Member’s Bill initiated by the member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu.

The Private Member’s Bill seeks to ensure 5 percent mandatory minimum employment for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in all public and private institutions in Ghana.

In a speech read on Mahama’s behalf by former Minister for Gender, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, who is currently the Chairperson for the Gender and Social Protection Committee of the NDC, during a stakeholder's meeting with the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), President Mahama noted the percentage of the common fund would be increased under his administration.

He recalled that it was under the erstwhile NDC leadership that the CRPD was ratified in Ghana and made a person with a disability a Minister for Chieftaincy.

Furthermore, he stated his government played a pivotal role in successfully lobbying a Ghanaian to be made Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Mahama promised to improve the database of persons with disabilities and ensure the full implementation of the proposed Bill.

The former president emphasized that persons with disabilities would be full participants in his proposed 24-hour economy in line with goal 10 of the SDGs.

Lastly, he pledged to focus on reinvigorating the economic inclusion of women with disabilities.

On his part, the sponsor of the Bill and MP for Madina, Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu, noted that the next NDC government would continue to strengthen the legal and policy framework for the protection of the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities, as well as all vulnerable groups in Ghana, as part of efforts to achieve SDG 10 which ensures that there is reduced inequality in Ghana.

The Bill to ensure mandatory minimum employment of PWDs was initiated in Parliament on Monday, September 5, 2022.

In attendance at the program were members of the NDC 2024 manifesto committee on Gender, Children, PWDs, and Social Protection and some members of the Ghana Federation of Disability.