People with Disabilities (PwDs) in the Bono Region say they hope the proposed “public sector recruitment” policy for PwDs, as contained in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 's Election 2024 manifesto, will be a success.  

The Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia the flagbearer of the NPP and his running mate Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh have promised to fulfil a quota system for PwDs in the public sector employment if voted for the NPP to retain political power in the 2024 General Election.  

The pledge is also contained in the party’s manifesto.  

Sharing their views on the campaign promise in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Monday, the PwDs said they welcomed the message with joy and excitement and hoped it would become a reality.  Mr Isaac Owusu-Ansah, the Bono Regional President of the Ghana Federation of Persons with Disabilities (GFPD) therefore advised the PwDs to capitalise on that, prepare and position themselves well to enable them to qualify and work in the public sector.  

However, he said he was optimistic that the government would do more to make public buildings friendlier for the PwDs to easily access them.  

Additionally, Mr Owusu-Ansah said that the proposed creation of jobs for artisanal workers including carpenters, masons, and welders as contained in the NPP’s manifesto was in the right direction to tackle the nation’s rising youth unemployment.  

He expressed worry that successive governments had neglected PwDs in public sector employment, though many of the PwDs had the qualifications.  

Madam Victoria Konama, a physically challenged woman told the GNA she was pleased to hear the NPP’s proposed “free tertiary education scholarship for PwDs”, saying that policy was needed to lessen the financial burden of the PwDs in accessing tertiary education.  In a related interview, Mr Atta Akoto Senior, the President of the Sunyani Youth Development Association described the NPP’s proposed policy that would train one million youth in digital skills as laudable and welcoming.  That would greatly make many of the youth self-employed and thereby enhance their socio-economic livelihood, while reducing unemployment.  

“As we welcome that policy with excitement, we also hope that the policy will not just be a political gimmick”, Mr Akoto stated, saying digital skills training and TVET had huge potential to tackle unemployment.  

“We also plead with the government to consider and invest into the beauticians’ sector too,” Madam Ernestina Pomaa, a beautician trainer at the SYDA also told the GNA.