‘Accessibility must not be an afterthought’ — stakeholders demand disability inclusion in workplaces
Stakeholders in disability advocacy and inclusive development have intensified calls for stronger workplace accessibility and equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Ghana, warning that discrimination and social barriers continue to limit their full participation in national development.
The appeal was made during the EmpowAbility Seminar 2.0 held in Accra to commemorate May Day under the theme: “Celebrating the Ghanaian Worker: Inclusion, Dignity and Opportunity for All.”
The event brought together development practitioners, corporate organisations, disability rights advocates, professionals and persons with disabilities to discuss strategies for promoting inclusion and improving access to opportunities within Ghana’s labour market.
Participants highlighted persistent challenges confronting persons with disabilities, including unemployment, exclusion from skills training programmes, workplace discrimination and entrenched stereotypes that continue to affect their economic and social advancement.
Speaking at the seminar, Comfort Ocran urged organisations to move beyond symbolic gestures and intentionally integrate accessibility into institutional planning and workplace systems.
“Inclusion by default means we don’t add accessibility as an afterthought. We build it in from day one,” she said.
Mrs Ocran stressed the need for workplaces and public institutions to create enabling environments that allow persons with disabilities to participate fully in national life through equal access to employment, empowerment initiatives and support systems.
The seminar also focused on changing societal attitudes towards disability and encouraging greater self-empowerment among young people living with disabilities.
Director of the No Limit Foundation, Michael Owusu Asare, challenged persons with disabilities to reject limiting perceptions and pursue personal growth despite the challenges they face.
“The wheelchair is not the disability: the real disability is a mindset that believes you cannot change your circumstances due to challenges you are confronted with,” he stated.
Also addressing the gathering, Alexander K. Tetteh encouraged persons with disabilities to embrace entrepreneurship, skills development and self-reliance as pathways to financial empowerment and independence.
The event was organised by the No Limit Foundation in partnership with the Springboard Road Show Foundation, Centre for Employment of Persons with Disabilities Ghana, Enterprise Life, Enterprise Insurance, Enterprise Trustees, Gold Fields Ghana Foundation and Telecel Ghana.
As part of the event, the Springboard Road Show Foundation received an award in recognition of its contributions to disability inclusion, youth empowerment and advocacy for persons with disabilities in Ghana.
Stakeholders at the seminar emphasised that achieving meaningful inclusion requires deliberate policy implementation, stronger collaboration between government and the private sector, and a sustained commitment to creating equitable opportunities for all citizens regardless of physical ability.
