Persons with disabilities in La Dade-Kotopon are calling for greater involvement in road and bridge projects after raising concerns that the design of the Labone Junction Bridge could create safety risks and restrict access.
The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly’s Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) says people with disabilities must be consulted from the planning stage of public infrastructure projects. It warned that failing to do so can result in inaccessible designs and expensive alterations after construction has been completed.
The Federation’s Chairman, Anthony Kwame Adarkwah, led an inspection of the Labone Junction Bridge with other persons with disabilities. They questioned the positioning and design of the access points and walkway, saying the route must comply with accessibility standards to allow wheelchair users and people with mobility challenges to move safely.
Adarkwah said the original access route directed persons with disabilities onto the main road, potentially putting them at risk of accidents. An alternative route is now being constructed behind the road, but he said its gradient must meet the required standards.
“The accessible route initially provided for us was on the main road, which could expose us to accidents. We have now seen that an alternative route is being constructed behind the road, which is more suitable. What we want is for the slope to meet the required accessibility standards,” he said.
The GFD also criticised the absence of early consultation with people affected by public works. It said involving local communities, including persons with disabilities, would help identify design problems before construction begins and reduce the need for costly changes later.
Adarkwah said the Federation had not been contacted before work started on the bridge. Members therefore chose to inspect the project before it was finished, rather than wait until their concerns could no longer be addressed.
“We were not contacted from the very beginning. Every construction project in a community should involve consultations with all stakeholders, including persons with disabilities and the aged. In this case, we only saw the project taking shape, so we decided not to wait until it was completed before inspecting it,” he stated.
La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Roads Engineer Gideon Kwame Toklo said action was being taken after the group wrote to the Assembly three weeks earlier.
He said the contractor had been mobilised to improve the access route, with the work expected to finish within one to two weeks.
“We quickly mobilised the contractor to the site, and work has started. We have also made some efforts to ensure the concerns are addressed. I believe the work will be completed within a week or two,” he said.
Toklo added that the concrete would need at least 28 days to cure before the bridge could be inspected and commissioned.
Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guarantees equality before the law under Article 17 and prohibits discrimination, while Article 29 protects the rights of persons with disabilities. The Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), also requires their needs to be considered in the design, construction and operation of transport infrastructure.
The Federation says accessibility should be built into public projects from the outset, rather than added later through costly modifications.
