Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Jacob Adongo Atule, has advocated for the enactment of a Legislative Instrument (LI) to mandate a minimum 5% employment quota for persons with disabilities (PWDs) across both public and private institutions in Ghana.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement on Tuesday, July 15, under the theme “Championing Inclusivity Among Young People with Disabilities,” he stressed that despite national efforts and ongoing conversations about inclusion, PWDs continue to face significant exclusion, particularly in employment and leadership roles.
He emphasised that the proposed LI would provide the necessary legal framework to ensure compliance and hold institutions accountable for meeting inclusive employment targets.
Mr. Atule further revealed that participants at the forum strongly supported the idea of translating the policy proposal into law, noting that many highly educated individuals with disabilities remain unemployed, underscoring the urgency for legislative action.
“Persons with disabilities have commended His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for including in his budget proposal a provision to reserve 5% of jobs for persons with disabilities. Speaking at a forum, they called for this commitment to be backed by legislation, urging Parliament to pass a law that enforces the quota to ensure access to decent employment.
“Many of them noted that despite having completed university, they remain unemployed. They are therefore advocating for President Mahama and Parliament to formalise this provision into law to help secure meaningful job opportunities for persons with disabilities,” he said.