An Independent Parliamentary Candidate for New Juaben North in the Eastern Region has pledged a unique initiative aimed at reducing the stigma around marrying persons with disabilities.
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, an award-winning international athlete and disability rights advocate, announced plans to offer rent-free accommodation for able-bodied individuals who marry persons with disabilities.
During a parliamentary dialogue organized by the National Commission for Civic Education(NCCE) in New Juaben North for parliamentary candidates, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, an Independent parliamentary candidate shared his vision of breaking down societal stigmas and empowering persons with disabilities.
He said the initiative of providing rent-free accommodation for able-bodied persons who marry a person with a disability would end the barriers and prejudices against persons with disabilities in marriage and society.
“Persons with disabilities struggle to have partners. It was even worse many decades ago because of stigma. Families and friends didn’t want able-bodied persons to marry persons with disabilities. But this must end, if you marry a person with a disability it doesn’t mean your children are going to be disabled. So I will provide rent-free accommodation to any able-bodied person who marries a disabled person, find job opportunities for them so that they will be able to take care of their children”.
Yeboah outlined other key initiatives, including job creation for the youth and the enhancement of agriculture in the constituency.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress’ candidate for the constituency, Samuel Adongo, proposed a policy to collaborate with the Ghana Prisons Service to engage inmates in commercial farming, with stipends deposited into personal bank accounts opened for them that can serve as start-up capital upon their release.
He promised other interventions including using part of his MPs salaries to support persons living with disabilities.
“Getting prisoners to work on commercial farms in New Juaben North is something that will actually change the lives of those prisoners within my constituency. We have most of them very energetic, very talented able men in that prison [Koforidua Prisons]. Most of them are there struggling when they have left their children and their families at home. By the time they get out of the prison they know there is no hope for them” Said Samuel Adongo, NDC Parliamentary candidate for New Juaben North.
He added, “So if they get a job and a bank account created for them by the time they leave the Prison, they will have something that they can depend on to change their whole lives. So the policy is that we will get the prisoners to work on the farms, we will get the banks to open an account for them, we will get them to work on the farms, then mark them daily and pay the money in their account. Other proceeds will be used to renovate the prisons.”
Samuel Adongo, also promised good roads, job creation opportunities leveraging his experience in the private sector to attract more investors.
The debate served as a platform for candidates to present their plans for youth employment, security, health, and education, disability, agriculture, infrastructure among others.
Despite the lively exchange of ideas, participants expressed disappointment over the absence of the New Patriotic Party’s candidate, who failed to attend.
New Juaben North NCCE Director Ebenezer Acheampong noted that the debates met their goal of fostering dialogue and offering voters insight into candidates’ policies.
“Our target was to make sure that these parliamentary candidates get the opportunity to interact with constituents of New Juaben North be able to sell their parties policies and manifestos and be able to convince constituents what they will do should they be elected as member of parliament. And again, constituents getting the opportunity to interact and get first-hand information from the parliamentary candidates so that they get an opportunity to make an informed decision”.
Present at the event were chiefs, clergy, various marginalized groups, traders, drivers and the general public.
Some of the participants urged the NCCE to continuously hold such exercise across the constituency to provide voters opportunities to interact with the parliamentary candidates to know their policies and to hold them accountable for their promises when elected.
Ghana heads into a crucial Presidential and Parliamentary elections on December 7 .
The Presidential election is keenly being contested by current Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Dramani Mahama.
Source:Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
