Mr Francis Asong, Executive Director of VOICE Ghana, has called on businesses and industries to make their products including assistive technologies and services more accessible and affordable for people with disabilities.
He said the call was to reinforce the importance of innovation in addressing numerous challenges faced by people with disabilities.
Mr Asong in a release copied to Ghana News Agency (GNA) to commemorate the 2022 International Day of People with Disabilities said Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) must also get involved in addressing the challenges.
“MMDAs must also enforce building codes on accessibility in line with the Ghana Accessibility Standards by the Ghana Standards Authority, when issuing permits for construction of public buildings.”
He said it was the only way people with disabilities could participate fully, equally and effectively in society with others and faced no barriers in all aspects of their lives.
Mr Asong said government must also be more committed to enforcing existing laws on accessibility and consider investing in accessible innovation as part of its ongoing digitisation agenda to enhance the well-being of people with disabilities at every level of society and development.
The Day was marked under the theme: “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.”
VOICE Ghana, established in 2002, is one of Ghana’s leading NGOs for people with disabilities.
