Wednesday, August 4, 2010

VULNERABLE GROUPS ASSURED OF PROTECTION (PAGE 43, AUGUST 2, 2010)

THE Volta Regional Director of the National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Fidelis Attoh, has assured vulnerable groups in the nation that they will enjoy protection under the participatory and multi party democracy that had been in existence in the country for the past 18 years.
He said after six editions of constitution in the history of the nation, the 1992 constitution had proved to be resilient against any opportunist-group to topple government of the day because the constitution was formulated on principles of consultation of which the vulnerable groups were part.
Mr Attoh said this at a lecture on the constitution and the disability bill at a two-day workshop for members of the Volta Regional Association of the Deaf at Ho.
He said the constitution guaranteed that no matter what the situation, no one was expected to look on any person as marginalised and that the NCCE had been mandated to empower them to live up to that goal.
Mr Attoh said vulnerable groups were protected under the disability law framed under the 1992 constitution, adding that it was their right to invoke aspects of the law to settle scores of any infringement against them.
Advising them to avoid sentiments of self-pity, he urged them to acquire more knowledge on their rights, freedoms and liberties through the constitution and the disability law and should also adhere responsibly to those laws in order to fulfil their obligations.
The Budget Officer of the Ho Municipal Assembly, Mr Dickson Agbenyah, disclosed that the government had stopped ceding the disability percentage of the common fund to district and metropolitan assemblies.
Mr Agbenyah said well-organised groups with very good proposals would be assisted to access funds from the district assembly for economic empowerment.
The chairman of the occasion, Mr N.K. Ankutse, advised the participants to acquire requisite skills and qualifications to enable them to compete favourably in the job market.
He stressed that they should endeavour to specialise in areas that would enhance their chances of securing employment.

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