The Challenged Foundation has intensified its advocacy for disability rights with the launch of a nationwide petition demanding full enforcement of Ghana’s accessibility laws. The organisation says many persons with disabilities (PWDs) continue to face widespread discrimination due to the lack of accessible classrooms, public buildings, transport, and basic facilities.
The petition follows the government’s announcement of free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, an initiative the Foundation praises as progressive but incomplete.
“We celebrate this historic decision. It offers hope and dignity. But accessibility remains the biggest barrier standing between persons with disabilities and equal opportunity,” said Mrs. Veronica L. Amartey-Owusu, Founder of the Foundation.
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Despite clear legal provisions, the Foundation notes that numerous universities, government offices, courts, and district assemblies are still not disability-friendly. Students report being carried upstairs due to the absence of ramps, elevators, or accessible toilets.
“It is unacceptable that a student gains admission but cannot physically access lecture halls. No citizen should be carried into a courtroom because the building is inaccessible. This is a violation of dignity,” the Foundation stated.
The organisation identifies several continuing challenges:
• Schools and universities without ramps, elevators, or adapted washrooms
• Public transportation systems that cannot accommodate wheelchairs
• Courts and local assemblies inaccessible to PWDs
• Misuse and shortage of disability-reserved parking
• Lack of tactile paths and signage for the visually impaired
• Citizens still being physically lifted into buildings
These issues, the Challenged Foundation says, violate Section 6 of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), which mandates that all public places must provide appropriate accessibility.
The Foundation’s petition calls for the comprehensive implementation of Act 715, L.I. 2465 (Building Regulations 2020), and Articles 29(1) and 29(6) of the 1992 Constitution. Key demands include: Accessible infrastructure in all schools and universities; Disability-friendly public offices and courts; Inclusive transportation and mobility systems; Strict enforcement of disability parking rules; Accessible toilets and campus facilities nationwide; Accessibility audits and retrofitting of old public buildings; Establishment of accessibility desks at all MMDAs and Nationwide public education on disability inclusion.
“We are not asking for favours. We are asking for equal access as guaranteed by Ghana’s Constitution,” Mrs. Amartey-Owusu stressed.
The petition is grounded in: Act 715 (Sections 6, 7, 17) — Accessibility and inclusive education; L.I. 2465 (Regulations 9, 11, 22) — Building accessibility, toilets, and disability parking; and 1992 Constitution (Articles 29(1), 29(6)) — Protection of rights and access for PWDs.
The Challenged Foundation is calling on Ghanaians, institutions, and advocacy groups to support the national petition and push for a more inclusive society.
Petition link: https://www.change.org/OpenTheDoorsForPWDs