Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been urged to make their premises and other public buildings easily accessible to People with Disabilities (PwDs).
Mrs Gifty Nyarko, the Head of the Spatial Planning Department of the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly, who made the call, said a policy on spatial development plans was required to ensure that everybody, irrespective of their physical formations could access public structures and buildings.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Odomase in the Sunyani West Municipality, Mrs Nyarko said “every individual is a potential PwD,” hence the need to tackle such challenges proactively.
She said PwDs also needed assistive devices to participate fully in digital space, saying they must also have access to user-friendly wheelchairs, hearing and walking aids too.
“Sign language interpreters and translation services must also be available in public places,” Mrs Nyarko stated, further recommending interactive platforms with features, including zooming, high-contrast modes, and text-to-speech functions.
Mrs Nyarko also called on the MMDAs to put in a mechanism where the PwDs could share their concerns in the formulation of spatial development plans.
By doing so, the country would be on the edge to attain the set target for the goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of creating inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities and settlements.
“Public space construction must be well designed to accommodate the PwDs to contribute to the decision-making process,” she stated, saying “the designs must also encompass ramps, accessible elevators, bold signage and wayfinding systems for walkability, as well as accessible washrooms”.
In another interview, Madam Victoria Konama, a PwD and a trader expressed worry about inaccessibility of public structures including toilets and washrooms, which was making life difficult for them.
“The PwDs form an integral part of society and contribute significantly to economic growth and development, however we are always relegated to the background in the decision-making process,” she stated.
Mad Konama called on the MMDAs to engage them and collect their inputs in the formulation of policies and programmes.
