The leadership of the Ghana Society of Physically Disabled has expressed concern about the low participation of its members in the upcoming district-level elections, citing financial challenges.
While some people with disabilities are contesting as assembly and unit committee members in certain areas, others have opted out, partly due to financial constraints.
The Ghana Society of Physically Disabled states that the politicization and monetization of the process have made it difficult for members to participate, as they cannot afford the cost of printing banners and posters for campaign activities.
Despite these concerns, the Ashanti Regional President of the Ghana Society of Physically Disabled, Stephen Gyan, emphasized the need for voters to focus on the capabilities of persons with disabilities rather than sympathy.
“Unfortunately, the participation of my members in the elections in the region has not been encouraging. Comparing their participation in the past to this year is disheartening because the whole process has become expensive. In the past, you didn’t have to print posters, but now, if you don’t print posters, nobody will see you.”
“Now, if you are an aspiring assembly member, you need to give out so much money, and our people are vulnerable in getting money for such ventures. Three of our members had initially decided to contest, but one of them just told me it was difficult for him to go through, so he withdrew. This is not about sympathy; we must be included to help design the structure for all because we are capable.”
In the Ashanti Region, a total of 3919 candidates are vying as assembly members, and 9,195 are also vying as unit committee members.
