Accra, Ghana, November 1, 2026: Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged district assemblies to ensure that funds allocated to persons with disabilities are used effectively to improve their economic independence and access to essential services.
She said the increase in the District Assemblies Common Fund allocation for persons with disabilities to five per cent in 2025 reflected the government's commitment to improving their welfare, but stressed that the resources must produce tangible benefits for recipients.
The Vice President made the call through her Policy Advisor, Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, who spoke on her behalf at the Day of Help for Persons with Disabilities in Koforidua.
Dr Ofosu Ampofo urged district assemblies to direct the funds towards the actual needs and priorities of beneficiaries, including education, economic empowerment and access to assistive devices.
He also called for disability inclusion structures established within local government institutions to serve as platforms for accountability and engagement with organisations representing persons with disabilities.
“These desks will provide an important institutional platform for engaging disability organisations and ensuring that resources are directed towards the actual needs and priorities of persons with disabilities,” he said.
He cautioned that the structures should not become administrative offices without meaningful impact, but should instead promote inclusion, accountability and empowerment.
Employment and access remain major concerns
Dr Ofosu Ampofo also called for equal employment opportunities, insisting that disability should not prevent qualified individuals from securing jobs.
He cited the 2021 Population and Housing Census, which recorded more than two million persons with disabilities in Ghana, noting that many continue to face barriers to employment, education and access to infrastructure.
He highlighted government efforts to strengthen the legal framework for disability inclusion, including Cabinet approval of amendments to the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), to align the legislation more closely with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
He further referenced the President's announcement of a minimum five per cent employment quota for persons with disabilities in public and private institutions, alongside tax incentives for private employers that meet the requirement.
Dr Ofosu Ampofo urged the public to reject stigma and discrimination and support efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities participate fully in national development.
