Ghana: Disability Council Calls For Speedy Passage of Mental Health Bill & Ratification of UNCRPD

The Ghana Federation of the Disabled on Tuesday petitioned Parliament to speed up the processes of passing the Ghana Mental Health Bill and the ratification of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) without further delay.
The petition was presented by Mr. Yaw Ofori Debrah, Chairman of the National Advocacy Committee of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled and received on behalf of the Speaker by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hohoe North and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises Mr. Prince Jacob Hayibor.
He was accompanied by two members of the Committee, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, MP for Ayawaso West and Mr. Wallace Abayateye, MP for Sege.
The Federation also presented Guidelines for the disbursement and Management of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for Persons with Disability (PWD).
The Federation in its petition, expressed surprised that till date, Ghana has not been able to ratify the UNCRPD despite having met most of the issues in the Convention as attested to by the country’s Person’s with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
“Ghana was one of the first countries which signed this Convention when it was promulgated by the UN but has not yet ratified it even though most of the issues in the Convention have been taken care of by the country’s Person’s with Disability Act,” noted Mr. Debrah in the petition.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 2.2 million persons with Disabilities in Ghana whose needs are varied vis-à-vis; education, provision of assistive devices, removal of barriers, adequate health delivery among many others.
By ratifying the UNCRPD, the Federation contends that it “will no doubt afford the country to access the technical, development and financial benefits that the Convention makes available to its member countries.”
It would enable disability organizations make representation through Government to the UN to assist Government to deliver adequate support to the organizations and their membership.
The status of the Mental Health Bill on the other hand, according to the Federation, is not yet known though it has been submitted for consideration and approval by Parliament.
To that effect, the Federation appealed to the Government and Parliament “to show understanding and commitment for this noble cause.”
The Parliamentary Select Committee in its response thanked the Disability Council for showing concern in matters relating to the welfare of the physically challenged in the country and promised that Parliament would do all it could to ensure their safety by passing out the Mental Health Bill and also ratify the UNCRPD.