The Ghana Society of the Physically challenged is threatening to march to Parliament to protest the delayed passage of the Legislative Instrument on Persons living with Disability. Members of the society are angry that four years after the Disability Act was passed, the L.I. on regulations for implementation remains unattended to. The Disability Act, passed on June 23, 2006 guarantees estimated 2.5 million equal rights with able-bodies persons. The law required the ministries for Rail, Road and Transport and where appropriate the Ministry of Local Government to ensure the needs of persons with disability are factored in the design, construction and operation of transport networks and other public infrastructure. But four years after the law was passed, no visible signs are discernible regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Act because of the lack of a Legislative Instrument. Luv FM’s Kwabena Ampratwum reports that PLWDs are unhappy about the situation. The National Vice President of the Society, Yaw Asamoah Poku told Kwabena Ampratwum while the Disability Law stipulates that a parent who fails to educates his child is liable for prosecution, there is only one school in the Ashanti Regional capital where children with disabilities can be educated. The Asokore Mampong Special school, according to Mr Poku, has room for only 140 pupils and there are over 400 hundred students on the waiting list. “For the whole Ghana, there are only two schools for blind,” he said, and questioned why GETFund was used to expand educational institutions for ‘normal’ people whiles special schools were neglected. He threatened that if Parliament will not pass the necessary LI, “we shall occupy parliament, we will have 2,000 disabled people sitting in Parliament with our mattresses, stoves and what not. May be that will be our new year present for the government.” But chairman of the National Council on Persons With Disability, Andrew Okaikoi said the threats are premature. He told Joy News, the Council has presented the draft Legislative Instrument which will be laid in before Parliament before it finishes its work for the year. Source: Joy News/Ghana