Story By: Rebekah Awuah | rebekahawuah@gmail.com
An estimated five million Ghanaians have disabilities, of which 2.8 million have a mental disability, however, only 1% of the country’s health budget is earmarked for mental health services.
In 1992, the government of Ghana amended the Constitution, to provide access to basic rights such as education and accessible public spaces while transforming the political atmosphere into one in which Persons with disabilities -PWDs and their advocates and care givers could more safely fight for their rights. The government also introduced a community-based rehabilitation (CBR) pilot program based upon welfare principles and funded internationally from 1999 to 2002 by the United Nations and the Official Development Assistance. The program was a laudable effort to reintegrate individuals with disabilities into the community, but it failed to achieve its goals due to a lack of commitment by community members and government officials. As a result, international funding eventually dried up.
Despite the failures of the rehabilitation and reintegration programs rolled out during the 1990s, they served the important purposes of improving public discourse surrounding the social inclusion of PWDs and motivating disabled activists, the government, and civil society to take action for bigger and better changes. Eventually, the 1992 constitutional amendment was deemed unsatisfactory by PWDs, the public, and the government alike, as it did not cover all basic human rights. This eventually led to the passing of the 2006 Persons with Disabilities Act. The aim “was to fulfill a constitutional obligation of enacting laws to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities”. The Act also proposed that by 2016, PWDs would have the same access to various services as a non-disabled person would.
Today much progress has been made, though more needs to be done to make PWDs feel equally important and accepted.
In a typical African setting, an individual’s social support system is very important. However, in the lives of person with disabilities, social support does not seem to be applicable due to stigmatization and dehumanization. Due to the stigmatization of PWDs, family members and caregivers often feel socially excluded. This can lead to frustration and exhaustion, which may have dire consequences on themselves and the individuals in their care.
The stress of marginalization can manifest in many ways for the family member and the individual experiencing disability. When there is no public or community support system, support of the individual with disability falls to the family. Yet often times the family abandons them too, as most Ghanaian families are ashamed of the individual and fear stigmatization.
Up until today, many families still struggle to understand the innate human worth of the individual experiencing disability. In Ghana and Nigeria, Persons with disabilities despite all odds, continue to conquer mountains, climb the corporate ladder, shine on sporting arenas, build businesses, and are championing for rights and access for all. One of such is Selassie Sikanku, popularly known as DJ Odo – a visually impaired Disc Jockey at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
Born without sight, Selassie has braved the odds to have a successful career in radio broadcasting. He says the frustration of not finding a job after school because of his impairment made him almost lose hope but with perseverance, he made it. “When I was looking for job and I couldn’t get and we had to go from one radio station to another, that was a bit challenging because I felt my dream to be a presenter will be dashed but it wasn’t’’.
According to Selassie, “Disability is in the mind. Whatever you want to do you have to start from the mind. If you aim at doing something just put in all your strength and put God also in it and you’ll be able to do it. Sometimes you’ll meet people who will tell you, you can’t do it but focus on the people who tell you, you can do it and focus on yourself. Be positive all the time and tell yourself yes I can and you’ll be able to do it.”
Folajogun Akinlami, a Nigerian born without any form of disability from birth and a Polio survivor is one individual doing great in her circles. She narrates how she became physically disabled at age one.
“I was ill when I was one-year-old and was rushed to the hospital. A nurse on duty that day was said to have given me an injection and by the time we got home, I could no longer move my right leg as I could before. By the time my mother took me back for inspection, a doctor told her that I had suffered polio and that the injection had worsened my condition. That was how I lost the use of my right leg before I could even walk at all.”
Speaking to the issue of stigma, Fola says “People say nasty things all the time but mostly behind my back. Even if they write me off, they are too scared to say it before me. However, I don’t allow whatever anyone says about me to bother me.”
Today, the Nigeria Broadcaster, a 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow and founder of Differently Abled Foundation based in Akure, Ondo State by dint of hard work has garnered more than 13 years of experience with media advocacy campaigns for disabled people. She continues to look beyond the challenge and advocates PWDs inclusion and respect in society. She also organizes training programs for hearing impaired children to teach them life skills.
Persons with disabilities may wear a cloak of invisibility for many but in reality they are visible, changing the narrative making them real heroes and heroines here to fulfill a quest. All they need is a systemic support from family and the State.
