W/R: Federation of Disability Organisation Cry Out To President For Their own Radio and TV Platforms
President Ghana Federation of Disability Association Western Region, Vincent Laweh has appealled to government to establish TV and Radio stations to prioritise disable friendly content of all forms due to wide spread discrimination by the traditional media .
According to the president most of the TV and Radio stations do not serve the interest of the disable community therefore making it difficult for it members to appreciate and benefit from the content being broadcasted everyday.
He stated that it is only Ghana Broadcasting Corperation’s Ghana Television Today (GTV) that has factored sign language in their day to day broadcasting standards but the hundreds of Television platforms in the country have ignored the plight of the disable community.
“In Ghana, it is only GTV that embraces sign language, which makes it difficult for our members to appreciate content else where.
We wish to have a TV, Radio and other media platforms dedicated to Persons with disabilty. I will urge the government to establish our own Radio and TV station to prioritise and serve the interest of our community”.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Adzekye Mu Nsem on Spice 91.9, the president of the federation spoke about numerous talented individuals in the disable community who are calved for different media roles including Presenters, News Casters, Producers,Djs and etc therefore such an opportunity will be a timely intervention for the disable community.
“We will be happy with such a move, we have lots of talented people, some are Djs, Presenter and MCs, and we will be glad to have such a platforms”
The disable community has complained of discrimination with Job opportunities though the Disability Act 2007 act 715 has stated emphatically that some benefits for companies and individuals that employ physically challenged.
Below are some is the benefits stipulated in the Act for employers of the physically challenged.
The government shall grant individuals and organizations who employ persons with
disabilities an annual tax rebate of the taxable income in respect of each person with disability employed as shall be prescribed in regulations made under this Act.
The government shall grant special incentives to person with disabilities engaged in business and also to business organizations that employ persons with disabilities.
A person who employs persons with disabilities shall provide (a) the relevant working tools and (b) appropriate facilities required by the person with disability for the efficient performance of the functions required by the employment.
The coming into force of disability legislative instrument could force the TV astation owner to look for interpretators.
To safeguard equal employment opportunities, Article 23 (1) of Universal Declaration of Rights by the UN states: everyone has the rights to work, to free choice of employment, to have favourable conditions or work and to protection against unemployment
(UN Declaration, 1948).
In spite of this act, there are unemployment and underemployment issues which are frequently reported in local and international papers.
