Former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman, has charged the district assemblies to insist on designs for structures that are disability-friendly before issuing building permits.

She made the call during her annual celebration with persons with disabilities at the Ghana Society for the Socially Disadvantaged, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

According to her, enforcing these laws are mandatory and crucial to ensuring the full integration of persons with disabilities into the society.

“The laws exist, people building know they are supposed to make the laws accessible to persons with disabilities, but unfortunately, a lot of these buildings being built as of 2026 do not have bathrooms that are disability friendly.

"...The municipalities, as they inspect these buildings and provide them permits, and they give them clearance, they need to ensure that the right thing has been done. “

She said that most of the people at the institution were fit enough to be in normal schools with little assistance and called for integration rather than isolating persons with disability in specialized institutions.

She said that there is no need to have a special institution just for persons with disabilities.

“There’s no need on why there should be a home just for persons with disability especially when they can thrive in a normal society “, she stated.

During the former Minister’s visit, she donated items to the individuals in the institution and also recognised and rewarded the best students in various departments.

Speaking to JoyNews, the administrator of the institution talked about the skills development initiative and how it has transformed the lives of persons with disabilities.

The overall best student in the Fashion Department, Victoria Martey, attested to the transformative experience she had received from the institution. She also shared how the institution changed her perception of her disability.

“I thought nothing will come out of me because of my condition and situation.”