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Sensitise children on discrimination against PWDs–Advocate
Ms. Martha Awuley Lartey an Advocate for PWDs
A District Coordinator of the Ministry to Persons With Disability (MPWD) for the Church of Pentecost, (New Moneomanye District in Ashaiman), Ms Martha AwuleyLarteysays advocacy against discrimination towards Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) must be focused more on children.
“I am of the view that, the young would likely grow up with the message of showing them (children with disabilities) the love of God and also pass the information on to their peers so that together, we can make the world a better place for all PWDs,” she said.
In an interview with The Spectator on Saturday about how to get more people to be responsible around PWDs, the District Coordinator said, there was the need for a more aggressive advocacy in churches and schools especially through children’s programmes.
“It is important for us to let our children know that any of us could become disabled at any time and when we do, how would we like to be treated by the society and the people we live with”? she questioned.
She said road crashes, domestic accidents, medical negligence or such related cases could make a person disabled, a situation that must be explained to the children in the simplest terms.
MsLartey said when children were well informed, they would hardly treat their disabled peers with disrespect.
She observed that some adults who treated persons with disability with disrespect even went further to encourage their younger ones to do same.
The District Coordinator described the trend as ‘unfortunate’ and a matter of concern especially when such persons found themselves in that situation through no fault of theirs.
She said, it was a disturbing situation that called for more advocacy works to draw the attention of the public.
“Disability is not infectious and so there is no need to put up unacceptable behaviours such as avoiding them when they get closer in a vehicle or a social gathering,” she said.
She explained that aside her advocacy at churches, she had taken her passion to schools as she target school children to appreciate the concerns of persons with disabilities and treat them well.
From DzifaTettehTay, Ashaiman.
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
