Cape Coast, Nov. 25, GNA - Four of the five parliamentary candidates in the Cape Coast Constituency, on Monday promised the electorate that they would lobby for the passage of the Disability Bill to protect the rights of the disabled, if they were elected. The four are; Mr Ato Amponsah Dadzie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Joel Eshun of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Mr Emmanuel Kweku Sagoe of the Convention People's Party (CPP) and Mr Ato Nyanor, an independent candidate.

They made the promise at a debate organized by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) in collaboration with the Ghana Federation of the Disabled, under the theme "promoting issue-based campaign". It was to provide an interactive platform for the candidates to focus on issues relevant to the needs of their constituents, and to enable the electorate to make informed choices. The debate, which was in two sessions, saw each of the candidates telling the electorate about their intentions for the socio-economic development of the constituency.

The NPP candidate, Mr Amponsah Dadzie, said he would ensure that the disabled were represented in all the municipal and district assemblies in order not to be left out in decision making and the implementation of development projects. He pledged that he would give monthly support to the disabled with part of his share of the common fund and from taxes received by the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly. Mr Eshun of the DFP said he would create incentives for companies which employed the disabled, as well as help them secure loans from banks to start their own businesses. He promised to ensure that assembly and unit committee members were paid salaries rather than allowances to motivate them to work effectively.

Mr Sagoe of the CPP reiterated his party's concern for the disabled and said it was in view of this that the party had produced its manifesto in Braille for the visually impaired, adding that he would also facilitate the creation of a youth centre for the disabled. He said he was unhappy that the assembly and unit committee members were not properly resourced to discharge their duties effectively and pledged to ensure that all the necessary structures were put in place to reverse the situation.

The independent candidate, Mr Nyanor said that when he was elected, he would sell his car and use the proceeds to set up a fund for the creation of jobs for the disabled in the constituency. The parliamentary aspirants also expressed their view on issues like assets declaration, which they noted was necessary to help curb corruption, and the Right to Information Bill, which they promised to ensure its passage.

They promised to find "any means available" to have the Fosu lagoon dredged, since the livelihood of many residents depended on it. At the end of the debate, all the candidates made a declaration to ensure peace before, during and after the elections. 25 Nov. 08