Political Participation Of Persons With Disability (PWDS) In Ghana

Abstract

The Persons with Disability Act, 2006, makes provision for inclusive participation for persons with disability (PWDs) in Ghana’s political governance. Nonetheless, political participation of PWDs in Ghana is generally low. The study, therefore, seeks to examine the extent of implementation of the Disability Act in promoting political inclusion of PWDs. It identifies Actors and motivations for advocacy and policy implementations for political inclusion of PWDs, challenges to participation and proposes measures for political inclusion in local and national political governance. Qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Primary data was gathered from interviews and respondents selected using the purposive sampling procedure. Primary data was analysed qualitatively within the framework of the Human Rights- Based Theory that underpins this study. Relevant literature served as secondary data sources for the study. The study found that Ghana’s Disability Act has no significant influence on the political inclusion of PWDs. There exist a gap between policy and implementation because the Act sets no guidelines for political engagement. Significant improvement in electoral participation from 2008 is thus informed by efforts of a coalition of Civil Society Organisations and specific state institutions. The study also found that the growing influence of partisan activities in local government elections informs the withdrawal of PWDs from the electoral participation at the grassroots level. Financial support for a party’s preferred candidates makes local electoral participation competitive and burdensome for PWDs due to their low financial status. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iii The findings suggest an amendment to the Disability Law with a separate provision of guidelines for political inclusion and an effective Legislative Instrument (LI) to enforce strictly the processes for PWDs political inclusion. It recommends an enforcement of sanctions in the Local Government Act (1993), to address issues of political interference in local government elections. It also recommends an executive commitment to an institutionalisation of an affirmative political action to enhance inclusion of qualified PWDs in local and national governance. Generally, findings from the study carry important lessons for addressing the persistent challenges that impede political participation of PWDs in Ghana.