No Access To Air For People With Disabilities?

 

  The entire process of travel,for any purpose in itself is tiring.Many would agree with me. - the long periods of waiting in queues,the security checks,the delayed or missing luggage.So if a well-abled  person finds this experience tiring and demanding, think about the people with disabilities.Yes.I felt the same way imagining.

 Of course there have been rumors sparked over time that airlines in particular,are often less considerate when it comes to the carriage of physically challenged persons.Certainly there are rules and laws governing the protection and rights of persons with reduced mobility,impaired vision,and what have you.It looks as if thestructures have not been placed accordingly or the issue is with our collective attitudes.For instance,Section 28 Act 715 2006 of Ghana's Disability Act states : “The Civil Aviation Authority and any other authority responsible for the management of a port shall provide facilities that will aid the movement of a person with disability at the port.” Is this just a formality or we're all playing our roles? I am not speculating that airlines act intentionally,however more awareness needs to be created.  

This provision, according to SEND- Ghana, a civil society organization, the Ghana Federation of the Disabled and the West Africa Civil Society Institute, is being violated with impunity by the aviation sector in the country.

 The above statement was made due to an incident involving one of SEND-Ghana's workers while  she was on one of his assignments.

  According to the Chief Executive Officer of SEND- West Africa, Mr Sipha Kamara, said on Tuesday 2nd June, an intern of SEND-Ghana travelled on Arik Air from Nigeria to Ghana.Kamara said on her arrival, his outfit purchased a ticket from Africa World Airline(AWA) for her to travel from Accra to  Tamale.But to her surprise, she was denied her right to board the Aircraft because of her disability with the explanation that AWA’s rules regulations did not permit them to take on board People with disability (PWDs)  particularly those who were Wheel- Chair bound.

Though she pleaded with them to allow her to board the Aircraft they refused. The move, Mr Kamara, said was an affront to the Disability Act and therefore was in violation of fundamental human right.
“We are therefore calling on stakeholders of air transport which include Ghana Civil Aviation authority, Ministry of Transport and the Office of the President to put in place measures to uphold the implementation of the Disability Act in this regard.”

Mr Kamara drew the attention of AWA and other domestic airlines to the fact that Ghana is a member of the United Nations, Africa Union and the Economic Community of West Africa States, hence the country had affirmed its commitment to uphold human rights and in particular the right of persons to travel to these international bodies.

“Therefore the action of AWA refusing Ndifreke Andrew-Essien to travel is not only a violation a disability Act of Ghana but also contrary to Ghana’s commitment to various international convention on human rights.
“ We are therefore calling on the domestic airline industry, the Ministry of Transport and office of the President to take immediate measures to ensure that PWDs in Ghana and those who come to visit Ghana do not suffer such blatant disregard for laws of the land”

He indicated that SEND-Ghana and its allies would continue to support the Ghana Federation of the Disabled to ensure that cogent steps were taken to allow PWDs their right to travel on any domestic airline unimpeded.

“ Remember that disability is not inability is not inability. PWDs are citizens of Ghana and deserve to be treated like every citizen.”

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