Mr Ransford Tay, Deputy Chairman of the New Horizon Foundation of the Blind (NHFB), a disability welfare and rights support group has urged politicians to come out boldly on the issue of inclusive education for the disabled.
He said while the parties went into frenzies variously in defense of free-SHS education now, as against quality education now and free SHS later, they (parties) should come out clearly on educational opportunities for the disabled and their funding.
Mr Tay was addressing the Annual General Convention (AGC) of the NHFB in Ho on Friday.
He said the wellbeing of the disabled, especially their educational needs, must attract more attention from politicians than it was having.
Mr Tay said the policy for inclusive education currently was not backed by adequate budgetary allocations.
The Foundation, which is based in Ho, was founded three years ago.
Besides advocacy, it is in networking, skills training, and social support schemes for the disabled.
Miss Ellen Alai, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Women, wondered why politicians kept experiencing disability interest policies during their many travels to other countries, but would not implement same in Ghana.
She said whereas public buses in those countries were able to let in the wheel chair and the occupant through a mechanism, buses in Ghana would carry but charge for the wheel chairs separately as luggage.
Miss Alai expressed dismay at the general lack of concern for the disabled in the planning and management of the towns and cities as seen in the packed walkways, markets, access to buildings and lavatories.
She said the state could give priority to the disabled in job employment like ticket vending and even HIV/AIDS counseling, where the visually impaired would encounter the carriers without knowing their identities.
She called for a free and compulsory eye and ear test of all kids before they start school.
Mrs Nancy Anku, an educationist, said it appeared the public was too numb over serious issues of state, such as matters affecting the interest of the 20 percent disabled population.
He said individuals and groups must nudge politicians to work in the interest of the people.