James Bomfeh Jnr calls for action in disabilities law
21st October 2025
The first-ever John Agyekum Kufuor Annual Disability (JAKAD) Lecture has reignited national debate over the commitment to disability rights and inclusion.
The event, which took place at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), brought together academics, policymakers, and disability rights advocates to examine the country’s progress and failures in implementing the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
Delivering the keynote address on the theme “The Stark Reality of Disability Legislation in Ghana,” Dr. James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr., a political analyst and development scholar, painted a vivid picture of how the country’s lofty legislative promises have fallen short in practice.
He argued that while Ghana was among the first African nations to pass a comprehensive disability law, the 19 years that followed have been marred by poor enforcement, inadequate funding, and neglect from successive governments.
Honouring Kufuor’s Legacy
The lecture was organized to honour former President John Agyekum Kufuor, under whose administration the disability law was passed.
The event was jointly hosted by the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), and Rights of Youth and Disability (RYD) International..
Dr. Bomfeh described the honour as timely, noting that Kufuor’s administration left a historic mark by pushing through a law that acknowledged the rights, dignity, and potential of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“President Kufuor was not a person with disability when he signed the law, but today, he experiences life from a wheelchair. That alone reminds us that disability is not distant—it is a shared human condition,” he said.
He emphasized that naming a national lecture after a living statesman was symbolic, celebrating not only Kufuor’s statesmanship but his commitment to inclusive governance and social protection.
The Promise And Failure of Act 715
The Persons with Disability Act (Act 715) was enacted in 2006 to promote equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in education, employment, healthcare, and social life.
It also mandated that public buildings, transportation systems, and communication services be made accessible within a 10-year grace period, which ended in 2016.
However, nearly a decade after that deadline, Dr. Bomfeh said the results remain disappointing.
He cited cases where government offices, courts, and schools remain inaccessible, forcing wheelchair users to rely on others to carry them into public facilities.
“A country that prides itself on democracy cannot continue to marginalize citizens through inaccessible public spaces,” he lamented.
The National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD), established under the same Act, has struggled to fulfill its mandate due to limited funding and lack of enforcement power.
“Without a Legislative Instrument to operationalize Act 715, the Council is like a watchdog without teeth,” Dr. Bomfeh remarked.
Historical and Cultural Context
Dr. Bomfeh placed the disability discourse in a broader African context, arguing that inclusion has deep roots in traditional governance systems.
He cited the Manden Charter of 1235, established by Emperor Sundiata Keita of Mali, as one of the earliest declarations protecting the rights of the disabled, elderly, and strangers.
He further noted that precolonial Ghanaian societies such as the Asante and Dagbon kingdoms practiced communal responsibility, ensuring that the weak or disabled were cared for collectively.
“Before colonialism and modern law, Africans already understood inclusion as a moral duty,” he said, challenging Ghanaians to reclaim that ethos.
Disability in Numbers
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that persons with disabilities made up 8% of Ghana’s population in 2021, rising from 3% in 2010.
Globally, about 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world’s population, live with disabilities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Bomfeh highlighted the economic cost of neglecting this group, citing World Bank data showing that exclusion of PWDs from employment and education costs low- and middle-income countries between 3% and 7% of their GDP annually.
“Disability inclusion is not charity—it’s an economic strategy,” he stressed.
Achievements And Continuing Gaps
While acknowledging progress since 2006, such as increased public awareness, inclusion of disability data in national censuses, introduction of sign language in broadcasting, and the 3% allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to PWDs, Dr. Bomfeh said these gains remain insufficient.
He cited the absence of clear penalties for non-compliance, lack of accessible housing, and weak political representation for PWDs as major failings.
“The law promises dignity, but in practice, it delivers dependency,” he said, calling on Parliament to pass the long-overdue Legislative Instrument to strengthen Act 715.