The President of the Greater Accra Regional branch of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), Mr Anthony Darkwa, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic last Thursday, said the delay in paying the affected PWDs their salaries had made life unbearable for them.

“We are not paid by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) but through the Road Fund, and as things are now we do not also receive disability allowance, as the case should be. It takes about three months before we are paid even the little money they have to pay us.

“As I speak to you now, we have not been paid for three months and I do not know if the Roads and Highways Minister or the President is aware of this. It is a challenge to us, considering the fact that we collect so much money for the state, only for us to be denied our portion,” Mr Darkwa said.

50% recruitment

The government came up with a policy in 2017 to give 50 per cent of all employment opportunities at the 35 toll booths across the country to PWDs. The initiative was to empower the PWDs, in line with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s manifesto promise.

The 50 per cent quota represents 200 slots across the 35 toll booths in the country.

The first batch of 74 PWDs were recruited in April 2017, with a promise to bring others on board, but that did not happen.

On April 24, 2019, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwesi Amoako-Atta, ordered the removal of the Tolls Manager at the Ghana Highways Authority, Mr Emmanuel Spencer Baah, over “his disregard” for the directive to employ PWDs as toll attendants.

According to the minister, only 100 PWDs had been employed as of April last year, which showed that the policy had been disregarded.

Non-compliance

Touching on that issue, Mr Darkwa said the promise that PWDs would constitute 50 per cent of staff at toll booths had still not been kept.

“We appreciate the support this government has given to PWDs, especially with the implementation of the policy on 50 per cent employment of PWDs at toll booths. We, however, appeal to it to keep to the promise to ensure that 50 per cent of employment opportunities are given to us,” he said.

According to him, after the removal of Mr Baah from office, the employment situation of PWDs at the toll booths had improved, “but we are still 20 per cent away from meeting the 50 per cent employment target that was promised us”.

Ministry’s response

When the Tolls Manager, Mr C.D. Antwi, was contacted on the matter, he admitted that the PWDs were owed some three months’ salary arrears.

He, however, said it was not only the PWDs that had been affected but that all workers at the toll booths were facing the same situation.

“The fact is that we were unable to pay them because our budget was delayed a bit, but we issued a cheque to the National Investment Bank during the Christmas season to pay them. If any of them has not received his or her salary, then maybe that person did not check from the bank,” he said.