Minority Receives Petition from Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has received a petition from the Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities, urging urgent measures to address barriers to employment for persons with disabilities.

The petition was formally presented by the Coalition’s Convener, Mr. Gilbert Boateng Agyare, and received on behalf of the Caucus by Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Hon. Patricia Appiagyei.

The Coalition outlined three key demands:

• Immediate recruitment into the public service of qualified unemployed graduates on its verified list;
• Strict enforcement of the employment quota for persons with disabilities in public sector recruitment;
• Introduction of incentives for private sector employers who engage qualified persons with disabilities.

In its response, the Minority described the concerns as legitimate and firmly grounded in constitutional and statutory guarantees. Citing Article 29 of the 1992 Constitution, the Caucus noted that disabled persons are entitled to protection from exploitation and discrimination, with Parliament mandated to enact laws to enforce those rights — a mandate fulfilled through the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715). The Act obliges the State to assist persons with disabilities into work and provides tax rebates and incentives to employers who engage them.

The Minority further referenced Article 17, which permits affirmative measures to redress social and economic imbalance, stressing that the Coalition’s demands align with this constitutional directive.

Reaffirming its commitment, the Minority pledged to champion policies that bridge the gap between law and lived experience, creating meaningful pathways for persons with disabilities to contribute fully to national development.

Commending the Coalition for pursuing its concerns through parliamentary channels, the Minority assured that the petition will receive due attention as Parliament works towards a Ghana where ability, competence, and determination — not disability — define access to opportunity.