Minority Caucus Demands Immediate Public Sector Hiring for Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities

By Emmanuel Nii Abordai Amoo

Ghana’s Minority Caucus in Parliament is calling for the swift recruitment of qualified unemployed graduates with disabilities into the public service, endorsing a formal petition presented by the Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities.

The petition was received on behalf of the Minority by Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei from the Coalition’s convener, Gilbert Boateng Agyare.

It outlines three core demands: the immediate public sector absorption of verified graduates on the Coalition’s list, strict enforcement of mandatory employment quotas for persons with disabilities, and targeted tax incentives for private sector employers who hire them.

In an official statement, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the demands as legitimate and firmly grounded in Ghanaian law. He highlighted Article 29 of the 1992 Constitution, which safeguards persons with disabilities against discrimination and exploitation, as well as the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), which mandates state assistance for disability employment and provides employer tax rebates.

Afenyo-Markin further cited Article 17 of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to implement affirmative action measures to correct historical social and economic imbalances.

Commending the Coalition for utilizing established parliamentary channels, the Minority Caucus pledged to champion policies that bridge the gap between statutory guarantees and daily reality, ensuring that ability and competence rather than disability determine access to public sector opportunities.