Statement By Dr Otiko Afisah Djaba

13th September 2021

Handing Over of Wheelchairs From Ghana National Gas Company
To Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation

Distinguished Guests
The CEO of Ghana Gas
The staff of Ghana Gas
Persons who require wheelchairs
Members of the Media

I am so proud to invite you here to witness today, the answer and solution to the
formidable obstacles that people who are physically challenged are confronted
with daily. It is my honour and utmost pleasure to welcome you to the official
handover ceremony and presentation of wheelchairs and walking aids donated by
Ghana Gas National Company Limited. I am so excited to receive these mobility
aids on behalf of the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation because it is time to do
something different for persons with disability. These essential accessibility
devices are the game changer for the physically challenged. The success of our
wheelchair mobilization campaign is what we are witnessing here today, the
presentation of 200 wheelchairs and walking aids by Ghana National Gas
Company. Please indulge me and rise with me to give them a standing ovation.

Distinguished guests,
 There are approximately 187,522 persons with physical disabilities in Ghana according to
data from the 2010 census. Of this number, less than 30% have wheelchairs and/or
walking aids.
 Compounding this situation is the fact that a majority of persons with physical disability
are poor, unemployed and dependent on charity and handouts from relatives, friends and
the general public.
 Apart from this generous donation, at our request, the GNGC has also employed for the
first time in the energy sector a person with disability in the person of Mr Isaac Ansah
who is visually impaired.
 If each public service organization in Ghana can emulate this example, then we would
have many more persons with disability employed in the public sector.(According to data
from government agencies and parastatals, there are over 118 public service
organizations in Ghana). If each would employ one person with disability yearly, that
would be 118 people with disability with jobs.

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Currently persons with physical disability who need wheelchairs are facing
formidable challenges in buying them. To address these needs the HDMF launched
a national campaign to mobilize 16,000 wheelchairs and walking aids in November
2020 to enable us distribute 1,000 per region. Indeed, we received individual
donations and contributions of 1, 5 or 10 items. I wondered how we would reach
our goal of 1000 wheelchairs per region at this trickling rate. With the COVID-19
pandemic it seemed impossible, as it has become more difficult for people to give.
Unfortunately, the worse hit group are the most vulnerable, people with disability.
The pandemic has made it more dangerous, risky and critical for those walking
and crawling on their hands, pushing themselves on wooden boards along our
dangerous roads to acquire wheelchairs. Then to our amazement Ghana Gas
responded with not 20 wheelchairs but 200. This is a dream come true. Ghana Gas
has demonstrated their Corporate Social Responsibility by this unitary act of
unprecedented generosity to persons who are in need of these devices through the
Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation. We commend the Ghana National Gas
Company Limited for this exemplary leadership and hope that other agencies
would take a cue from them.

I would like to express our profound gratitude to the Ghana Gas for their
cooperation on this project, which represents a huge investment and commitment
towards social justice and inclusion for our physically challenged. We are pleased
that the partnership between Ghana Gas and HDMF is of mutual benefit to people
who would otherwise not be able to afford a wheelchair, elbow or armpit crutches.

Life or fate throws some terrible cards and curve balls at us that make the prospects
for Persons With Disability bleak. Today, is a new dawn of awakening and we
must take a stand of action to make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable
brothers and sisters of ours. We seize this occasion to call on other corporate
bodies, individuals and philanthropists to take a leaf out of Ghana Gas’s act to
donate wheelchairs and walking aids to our Foundation. I challenge anybody
watching to call us on 0241235199 to donate wheelchairs or to donate via our
MOMO Account no. 0248510067. Take a step with us to provide a slice of hope
and possibilities for the physically challenged NOW.

I would like to conclude by emphasizing that this singular act of Ghana Gas is a
breakthrough for freedom, accessibility and inclusion. We are very much looking
forward to sustaining and deepening this partnership under the leadership of the
CEO Dr Ben K Asante, in responding to our request to relieve the extraordinary
and unprecedented burden on PWDs especially during this Covid- 19 pandemic.
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I would like to thank Ghana National Gas and personally the CEO Dr Ben Asante,
for their support and partnership which has made this project possible.  I would
like to reconfirm Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation’s commitment to
transforming the lives of all people with disabilities. We stand with persons who
are physically challenged on this journey to freedom, dignity and happiness.

Thank you very much.