Public facilities must be accessible to PWDs – Dr. Apaak

The Parliamentary Caucus on Persons with Disabilities has called for stricter enforcement of accessibility standards to ensure persons with disabilities can access public infrastructure and essential services without barriers.

The call forms part of recommendations contained in a report signed by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on PWDs, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, after a two-day stakeholder workshop organised by the Caucus from August 1 to 2, 2026, to assess the implementation of disability-related policies and programmes at the local government level.

According to the report, although Ghana has established accessibility standards under the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), compliance remains uneven across several public institutions and facilities.

The report noted that persons with disabilities continue to face challenges accessing government offices, schools, healthcare facilities, transport terminals and other public spaces.

The Caucus said accessibility should be considered from the design stage of public infrastructure projects rather than addressed through costly modifications after construction.

It recommended that, “All public institutions and local authorities should ensure that newly constructed public facilities comply with national accessibility standards, while existing public buildings should be progressively modified to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities.”

The report also called for stronger enforcement of existing accessibility requirements and closer collaboration between technical agencies and disability organisations during the planning and implementation of public infrastructure projects.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the Caucus highlighted the need for accessible communication to ensure persons with disabilities can equally benefit from public services.

It called for measures including sign language interpretation, accessible information formats and assistive technologies.

The Caucus further recommended greater involvement of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in local development planning and decision-making.

According to the report, persons with disabilities continue to face physical, communication and attitudinal barriers that limit their participation in local governance and access to public services.

The Caucus said removing these barriers and mainstreaming disability inclusion into local governance would help ensure that public infrastructure and services respond more effectively to the needs of persons with disabilities.