A group calling itself Youth With Disabilities has slammed the Mahama-led administration, demanding an immediate reversal of the mass dismissal of public servants.
In a statement, the group described the move as insensitive, stating that about 300 of its members have been affected.
According to the group, some members borrowed money to transport their belongings to their various stations of employment and have already begun incurring serious debts.
They have therefore threatened to embark on a mammoth demonstration if the decision is not rescinded within two weeks.
“We are of the conviction that it is only an insensitive government led by a ruthless president that will lay off employees with disabilities who have not transgressed against any law of this country.
“These employees with disabilities were employed through the approved modalities for recruitment by the previous administration only for them to be capriciously supplanted from their offices by the current administration through no fault committed by them,” portions of the statement read.
The group added that they cannot fathom why a government that pledged to boost job creation through the 24-hour economy is now sacking people from their jobs.
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Read the full statement below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
THURSDAY FEBRRUARY 20TH 2025
THE YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES GROUP OF GHANA CONDEMNS THE DISMISSAL OF EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO COUNTERMAND THE PREVIOUS ORDER WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
We the concerned youth with disabilities wish to impel the government of Ghana to as a matter of urgency rescind its decision to expel all persons with disabilities who were employed by the previous government after December 7th 2024 as part of its quest to revoke the contract of all employees recruited after December 7th 2024 by the previous administration.
It has become more than pertinent for us to scrounge at the doors of the president of the republic to take this decision in his own interest or else face the most massive demonstration in the history of the country against his government by the youth with disabilities across the country.
We are of the conviction that it is only an insensitive government led by a ruthless president that will lay off employees with disabilities who have not transgressed against any law of this country.
These employees with disabilities were employed through the approved modalities for recruitment by the previous administration only for them to be capriciously supplanted from their offices by the current administration through no fault committed by them.
As we speak, a plethora of our people have borrowed monies from people to transport their belongings to their various stations of employment and have already begun incurring serious debts due to their conditions or categories of disabilities as some of them are mobility, hearing and visually impaired hence will require some form of assistance which comes with financial burdens so how do we expect them get back to their various home towns.
As a country that frowns on seeing the vulnerable begging for alms on the streets, we must rather ameliorate such people from their destitutions instead of making them more marginalized everyday to feed on the crumbs of politicians.
We find it very cumbersome to fathom why a government which pledged in opposition to implement a flagship policy of 24hour economy to ostensibly cause a significant diminution in unemployment will all of a sudden sack those who are already employed rather and even go ahead to add about 300 people with disabilities without any exemptions for them.
We wish to categorically alert the government that we are giving the government a two week ultimatum to revoke its decision of sacking such infinitesimal number of people in the government sector who can always be catered for irrespective of how ailing or fragile the economy is.
We wish to apprise the government that this execrable action emanating from the Chief of Staff is in egregious or flagrant violation of the Disability Act of Ghana and the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities so if nothing is done to allow our people to remain at post, we will embark on the streets of this country to protest against the government as youth with disabilities as part of our rights to press home our demands as espoused by article 21 of the 1992 constitution.
We will always support governments that uphold the rights of the disabled in accordance with law but when any government proves to be insensitive like this, then we will have no option than to come public as we have done.
It remains an indubitable or incontrovertible truth that issues of disability in this country have been swept under the carpet but we are of the conviction that it is about time that we rose against such ignominious treatment given to such people in this country.
Persons with disability in this country have been languished to struggle on their own to survive without any clear policies to alleviate the predicaments faced by us.
The impediments in our path are too much to the extent that we are not considered by government in any decision made by the government.
These challenges hamper our progress as humans since we compete with the abled bodied persons for everything.
But we wish to assert that disability is no respecter of persons so we should be guided as a country through our actions by creating an inclusive environment for all without any semblance of discrimination and segregation against the disabled.
As a country that tout itself with an accolade of being the beacon of democracy in Africa, our attitude towards the disabled has not been the best at all as we continue to create excruciating pains for such people in everything we do.
Finally, we will elicit an unflinching support from the media and the general public to implore the government to do the needful for peace to prevail.
Thank you.
SIGNED:
GILBERT BOATENG AGYARE: LEADER OF THE GROUP.
0244061940/0547642114.