Regional News of Sunday, 12 May 2013

Source: GNA

GSPD implements Justice Empowerment Project in Upper East

Mr David Ania, Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD), has expressed unhappiness about the discriminatory nature of the justice system to the members of the Society.

“We need to sensitize the police and the judiciary on the need to support the disabled by helping them with the necessary information and providing them with interpreters so that they can be able to express themselves whenever they visit either the police station or the court,” he said.

He said this during a forum discussing the implementation of the project dubbed: “Enhancing Persons with Disability Access to Justice through Human Rights Education and Capacity Building Project” at Bolgatanga.

The project, which would run for six months, is being sponsored by the German international Cooperation (GIZ) and the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD).

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Ania said the project sought to among others to educate authorities of the Ghana Police Service, the Judiciary on the provisions in the Ghana National Disability Act 715.

Mr Ania, who is also the National President GSPD in charge of Sports, said the project would support Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

He said it would further serve as a complementary tool of the organization in the elimination of negative perceptions about disabled people.

The Regional Director of Legal Aid Scheme in charge of the Upper East, Richard Adazabra, entreated members of the Society not to hesitate to report on issues of accessing justice to his outfit adding that the Legal Aid Scheme provides free legal services to vulnerable people including PWDs.