Kumasi, May 20, GNA - The Ghana Society of the Physically Challenged has launched a project to identify for support by way of education and skills training, children with disability from socially disadvantaged homes. Mr Yaw Attakora, the National Vice Chairman of the Society, said the goal was to help prepare them for the job market. He was speaking at a day's stakeholders meeting to discuss ways of bringing together parents of the disabled under a single umbrella as part of the project.

It was held under the theme "The disabled child cannot wait - from discovery, intervention and integration into society." Mr Attakora said the economic situation of the disabled would be improved if they were given attention, care and support during childhood. He said everything would be done to ensure that disabled children were assisted to acquire skills and competencies to have fair share of existing opportunities in the society.

Mr Modesto Ayiwole, Centre Manager of the Edwenase Rehabilitation Centre, appealed to parents to report any disability they detect in their kids early to the health facility for proper management. He said research had established that at least 10 per cent of all children may be born with or would acquire physical, mental or sensory impairment.

He said there should not be any basis to stigmatize people with any form of disability.

Mrs Juliana Osei, a Special Education Coordinator of the Ghana Education Service, appealed to parents to give equal opportunity to both able and disabled children to pursue academic careers. She said the school environment which brings all manner of children under one roof to learn helps to remove discrimination and provides the disabled child with a healthy sense of social acceptance. Mr Francis Amedor, the Project Manager, described lack of funding as a major challenge they faced. He said the issue of disability was an enormous and complex one that could not be left to the government alone and all should join hands to assist make things better.