Sustain empowerment of PWDs in Ghana

His Excellency Andrew Barnes, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana has called for sustained efforts of all stakeholders in empowering persons with disability in the country, to enable them contribute their quota to national development.

He recognised that understanding the challenges of disability, giving favourable systems, supporting and improving services, to persons with disability could help them make enormous contributions to national development.

He made these remarks at the commissioning of a 10-bedroom recovery ward for male amputees receiving medical treatment at the Orthopaedic Training Centre (OTC) at Adoagyiri, Nsawam in the Koforidua Diocese.

The project, estimated at a cost of 60,000 Australian dollars (GH₵180, 792), and funded by the Direct Aid Programme of the Australian Government, formed part of the Australian government’s consistent contributions toward disability inclusion in Ghana.

Each room is well furnished with two beds, toilet and bath as well as other required accessories to aid rapid recovery for the beneficiaries, as well as provide a conducive accommodation for male amputee patients at the facility.

The High Commissioner said the Austrialian Government’s consistent, “albeit modest, contributions in the area of disability are in line with the Australian Government’s commitment to empower people with disabilities and to ensure that development leaves no one behind”.

“This is why we are also pleased to be able to support this and other quality initiatives that aim to minimise and reduce barriers, improve service delivery and the lives of people with disability” he noted.

Mr Barnes stressed: “It is therefore truly an honour for us to be able to partner with organisations like the OTC to bring hope and smiles to people with disabilities and our partnership makes it possible for us to support and further Australia’s objectives of ensuring inclusive development in developing countries,”

The High Commissioner commended management and staff of the OTC for their commitment and support to people living with disability, adding that “we give due recognition and express our heartfelt appreciation to the staff of OTC and all others who have made it their mission to help improve the situation and lives of people with disability.”

Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua Diocese, commended the OTC for the wonderful service it was rendering to persons with disability in the country.

“Had it not been for the establishment of the OTC, many amputees in Ghana would have been confined to their family homes or loiter on the streets soliciting for alms instead of living decent lives” he observed.

He commended the late Bro. Tarcecious the founder of the facility for his vision, which he noted has been upheld by management and staff, some of who were victims of amputation.

According him, the centre generated no income but rather spent on many beneficiaries’ amputees regardless of their religion, gender and backgrounds.

In her address, Rev. Sr. Elisabeth Newman, SSND, Directress of OTC, noted that of the 10 per cent of people with disability in the world, eight per cent lived in developing countries, including Ghana, where 31.6 percent of the disability population in Ghana had physical disability.

Sr Newman said the lack of accurate data made it difficult to know precisely how many amputates were in Ghana, but noted that the growing number of amputees in the country caused by accidents and industrial accidents was “frightening.”

She expressed worry over the lack of statistics on amputees in the country and called for proper measure to ensure the accurate data of the PWDs so their needs could be best served.

As part of the programme a well-furnished ward to cater for children with cerebral palsy was also outdoor. With this new Ward Sr. Newman noted that OTC wants to advance care to the children suffering from these special condition.