Gilbert Boateng Agyare
An association of Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) has responded to the wind of dismissals with a threat to embark on a demonstration should their sack not be reversed.
Speaking yesterday during an interview, their graduate spokesperson, Gilbert Boateng Agyare, expressed dismay that even with their small number of some 300 recently employed, the new government would nonetheless go ahead to have them dismissed.
Narrating the inconveniences associated with their situation, he said “we have endured financial challenges of raising loans to travel to our new locations only to face this trend of dismissals. How do we go back to those we raised loans from to advance further loans to us to return to our former locations? Some of us cannot see and others lost their sights.”
He recalled how challenging it has been for persons in their states to get jobs, adding that “such opportunities have come through knowing persons at the top willing to support us, and now this situation. The new government should be sympathetic to our situation and reverse this order which is wicked and unsympathetic.”
Continuing, he said “it is ironic that that the 24-hour economy concept promised by President Mahama rather than ensuring that employment is open to citizens, is rather firing persons from their places of work.
“I am visually impaired, and some of my colleagues cannot hear, but have to work to earn incomes to take care of ourselves and families. This action by government is a breach of the Disability Act 715 and the internationally recognised rights of the disabled.
“Some of us are graduates with minimum qualifications of first degree, and are therefore qualified,” he said.