The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has slammed the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for stealing the former’s promises made to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Ghana.
Comrade Frederick Assor, the National Coordinator of the opposition National Democratic Congress Disability Desk, in a statement vehemently criticized the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer for plagiarizing the party’s 2020 manifesto promise of providing free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities.
“The 2020 NDC Manifesto is a public document and the NPP is fully aware of its game-changing and farreaching pledges. It is acceptable to make reference to NDC’s manifesto proposals but the Vice President cannot purport to take a manifesto promise and pass it off as his own idea.
“This is equivalent in seriousness to plagiarism and PWDs will not be hoodwinked to vote for the NPP in the upcoming 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections”
Comrade. Frederick Assor, National Coordinator, NDC Disability Desk
Comrade Assor, while touting the opposition party’s commitment to the welfare of Persons with Disabilities, pointed to Section 18 of the Disability Act, 2016 (Act 175), noting that the opposition party’s 2020 manifesto explicitly included a commitment to offer free tertiary education to PWDs.
Despite the party’s electoral loss in 2020, Comrade Frederick Assor, the National Coordinator of the opposition National Democratic Congress Disability Desk affirmed the party’s dedication to the promise, which he emphasized will feature prominently in the party’s 2024 manifesto.
He accused the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, of appropriating the promise from the National Democratic Congress’s 2020 manifesto, labeling it as a severe act of plagiarism.
Comrade Assor further posited that such actions are misleading to the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) community and reflect poorly on the NPP’s integrity regarding its commitments.
Failure to Fulfil Manifesto Promises
Furthermore, the statement by Comrade Frederick Assor criticized the governing New Patriotic Party administration for failing to fulfil its own 2016 manifesto promise related to inclusive education for children with special needs.
Comrade Assor argued that despite the current government spending eight years in office, it has failed to deliver on its pledge to provide appropriate facilities and trained teachers for the integration of disabled children into regular schools.
He emphasized that New Patriotic Party’s 2020 manifesto merely reported that an Inclusive Education Policy had been adopted and that teacher training curricula now included inclusive education, which falls short of the original promise.
“PWDs are well aware of the manifesto promises the NDC made in 2020 because of the conspicuous establishment of the Disability Desk in that year and the broad consultation of PWDs in creating the popular People’s Manifesto. This is 2024 and there is no way PWDs will fall for propaganda and lies”.
Comrade. Frederick Assor, National Coordinator, NDC Disability Desk
Moreover, Comrade Frederick Assor condemned the current government for what he describes as the “inhumane treatment” it meted out to Persons with Disabilities in relation to the abrupt suspension of road toll collections, which affected several PWDs employed at toll booths.
He underscored the hardships such individuals, who were thrust into poverty without prior notice faced until several demonstrations led the government to decide on re-engaging them with the Youth Employment Agency.
The National Democratic Congress’s Disability Desk expressed its disappointment in the ruling party over its failures to prioritize the welfare of PWDs, stressing that the ruling party cannot be trusted to fulfill its promises to PWDs.
Comrade Assor thus urged Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to focus on completing the unfulfilled promises of the New Patriotic Party’s 2016 manifesto in the remaining months before the 2024 elections.
Comrade Frederick Assor, the National Coordinator of the opposition National Democratic Congress Disability Desk, in closing the statement underscored the party’s unalloyed commitment to PWDs, emphasizing its consultative approach in developing the People’s Manifesto and establishing the Disability Desk.
Comrade Assor assured that a government led by former President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress flagbearer would prioritize the welfare of PWDs and work towards their full inclusion in the party’s 24-hour economy policy initiative.
