Ghana on Wednesday December 3, joined the global community to observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), with a call from the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, for deeper structural reforms to guarantee meaningful inclusion and equal opportunities for the more than two million Ghanaians living with disabilities.
Making a commemorative statement on the floor of Parliament, the MP commended President Mahama and his government for launching the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities programme, describing it as a landmark step toward equity and constitutional justice.
The initiative which is being implemented through the Students Loan Trust Fund with support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) absorbs tuition fees for all PWDs admitted to accredited public tertiary institutions, including universities, technical universities, colleges of education, and other public training schools.
She acknowledged that while the programme removes a major financial barrier, there is the need for the nation to go further to ensure that PWDs successfully participate and contribute at the highest levels of national development.
According to her, the 2021 Population and Housing Census which shows that 8% of the population, approximately 2.1 million people, live with at least one disability, highlights the urgent need to strengthen support systems for this demographic. She noted that disability prevalence is higher among females and rural residents, with visual impairment being the most common.
The Ablekuma lawmaker emphasized that PWDs continue to face significant constraints, including limited access to formal education, high unemployment, physical barriers in public institutions, high costs of assistive devices, and inadequate support services.
Among the elderly, nearly 38% live with at least one form of disability, making them especially vulnerable.
To ensure that the free tertiary education initiative achieves its intended impact, the MP outlined several key proposals including sustainable funding to guarantee predictable support for fee absorption.
She urged stricter enforcement of accessibility standards across all tertiary institutions, stressing the need for ramps, elevators, disability-friendly hostels, washrooms, and pathways to ensure that campuses are fully navigable for PWDs.
The MP also called for improved learning support services, including sign-language interpreters, Braille and large-print materials, assistive technologies, and accessible digital platforms.
On welfare, she proposed transport subsidies and stipends to ease mobility and living challenges faced by PWDs, which can disrupt academic participation.
Hon Ewurabena Aubynn further advocated stronger data collection and monitoring systems to track enrolment, retention, and completion rates to enable government take evidence-based policy decisions.
Additionally, she called for sustained public education efforts to combat stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions surrounding disability, promoting dignity and inclusion within communities.
As Ghana marks this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” the Ablekuma North MP said the country stands at a critical moment in building a society where no disability limits opportunity and no citizen is left behind.
