Disabled people prepare for unit committee elections

A selected number of People With Disabilities (PWDs) from the Agortime-Ziope and Adaklu districts in the Volta Region have been taken through modalities for contesting the forthcoming Unit Committee elections.

The half-day programme also briefed participants on qualification and the process of engagement as polling assistants.

The training formed part of the one-year Democratic Governance Project by Voice of the People with Disability-Ghana (VOICE-Ghana) for mainstreaming of PWDs into political decision-making at the local level.

Mr Francis Asong, Director of VOICE-Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency that many platforms would be created to drive home the message of inclusiveness of all segments of society in all decision-making.

Strengthening Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness (STAR)-Ghana is funding the project with outlays from UKAid, EU, DANIDA and USAID.

Kafui Kpe, Election Officer at the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) office responsible for the Adaklu and Agortime-Ziope districts, stressed that a prospective Unit Committee should have been living in that community for at least 12 months.

Ms Regina Tarkyi, Gender and Disability Desk Officer, EC, Ho, who spoke on the roles and responsibilities of Unit Committees, said every electoral area would elect five persons to form the Unit Committee.

Mr Prosper Kporku, librarian, Agortime Senior High School, Kpetoe, said he was aspiring to become a Unit Committee member to get the needs of PWDs imprinted on the minds of policy makers.

He said some of the needs of PWDs were educational and skills training support.

Mr Sampson Abornu from Adaklu-Torda said he would support fellow PWDs to be elected into assemblies as a way of putting PWD interests on the table of development. — GNA