The Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative for Employment (YIEDIE) has intensified moves to improve Ghana’s labour laws to incorporate the works of disabled people in the public construction industry.
Currently, most people considered as underprivileged by the United Nations’ Human Development Index in Ghana include most disabled people.
Speaking to Citi Business News on efforts aimed at improving the labour laws to employ disabled people, the Project Director for YIEDIE, Kafui Mills disclosed that the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has been engaged on proposals for a Legislative Instrument.
“We have already had some very good engagement with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations. We are going beyond that because we want to look at issues of vulnerabilities. We want to see ourselves engaging the Gender and the Social Protection Ministry extensively. How can they provide the legislative background, the policy instrument of how to prepare young persons with disabilities”.
She stated that in spite of the huge potential of the construction sector, persons with disabilities’ participation in the construction sector remains low.
“The 2010 Ghana Population Census Report indicates that 4 percent of youth aged 15 to 24 have some form of disability. Addressing disability in the construction sector goes beyond the mechanics of inclusive construction design into wider employability, economic regeneration and impact on society,” she noted.
Applauding the the passage of the persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), Mrs. Mills maintained that the Act however required an LI to help address issues of the disabled in the construction industry.
“Though the Act covers key thematic provisions such as rights, accessibility , employment and education for Persons With Disability(PWD) amongst others, it is noticeable that PWDs are very not involved in the construction sector,” she said.
“The YIEDIE project recognizing the above seeks to explore the inclusion of PWDs into the project. This stems from discussions prior and posts the National Youth in Construction Summit and the Youth Forward Annual Learning Event,” she added.
To develop a comprehensive plan to facilitate the inclusion of PWDsin YIEDIE Mrs. Mills stated that moves have been made to attract, recruit, retain and grow PWDs in the construction sector.
She explained that the move was also targeted at transforming relations among stakeholders in the construction value chain with respect to PWDs as well as leverage existing policies in the Disability Act of 2006 to create opportunities for PWDs in the construction sector.
She explained that the approach is to use a consultant who will engage PWDs Association Members, COVET, OICG, Technical Institutions, experts and stakeholders to get their perspective s on PWDs inclusion in YIEDIE.
–
By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
