People with vision impairment on Friday commemorated the International day of the White Cane in Bolgatanga with a call on all to respect the dignity of people with vision impairment.

Mr. Moses Ayorka, President of the Upper East Branch, noted that the vision impaired continued to suffer discrimination at workplaces while the public regarded the use of the White Cane as an obstruction to their movement.

He said drivers, riders and pedestrians found the use of the White Cane an obstruction and also the public frowned on them and regarded them as beggars.

On a route march with placards with inscriptions “Blindness is not contagious”, “respect the blind” and “we need peace”, Mr. Mark Akubire Atia, who is a member of the association indicated that the White Cane was important to the vision impaired because it helped them to move about and also served as a supportive tool for identifying obstacles and detecting lost items.

He said the blind could also play any leadership role as any other person and called on the general public not to discriminate against them.

He also enumerated other challenges such as members’ inability to procure the White Cane and called on benevolent organizations to come to their aid.

He added his voice to the message of the President of the Republic, John Mahama in an address to the nation that Ghanaians should avoid character assassination but rather be engaged in discussing positive issues that would bring development to the country.

“When there is conflict, the blind would have no place to go”, he added and called on all to let the 2012 election be a successful and peaceful one.