The Upper East Branch of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) on Wednesday launched a Basket Weaving Project focused on providing entrepreneurship training and employment for the physically challenged in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
The one year project funded by the Danish Handicap Association and estimated to cost GH¢64,000, would offer the physically challenged skills training and ultimately offer them employment opportunities in strew basket weaving to make them economically self-sufficient.
It also sought to train selected members in strew basket weaving and management as a source of employment and income generation as well as educate them on provisions in the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with Disability and the Ghana National Disability Act.
The project is christened: "Promoting entrepreneurship and employment for physically disabled within the Bolgatanga Municipality through strew basket weaving".
Mr. David Aniah Awine, Project Coordinator, spoke against the numerous discriminatory practices meted on persons with disability and said these persons were often faced with barriers to fully participate in business of society.
"Barriers can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or to information and communication technology (ICT) and those resulting from legislation or policy as well as societal attitudes and discrimination".
The result of this, he said, was that persons with disability do not have equal access to society and services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation and justice.
He added that experience had proved that when these barriers were removed, persons with disability would be empowered to participate fully in social activities to achieve progress and development for all.
Mr Awine said plans were far advanced to collaborate with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) and the Bolgatanga Basket Weavers Cooperative Club to ensure the sustainability of the project after the one year period.
Mr Bashiru Kalid, Project Finance Officer of GSPD in an interview with the GNA lauded government for its contribution to the welfare of persons with disability, congratulating President John Dramani Mahama for nominating Dr. Henry Seidu Daanaa as Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs.
He appealed to the President to consider the appointment of a development minded person to chair the Disability Council rather than a political figure.