The German development agency – Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) – is piloting a mobile counseling project for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) with the aim of enhancing their chances of getting employment.
Project Manager, Private and Financial Sector Support at GIZ, Alice Claridge, disclosed that the initiative is a collaboration between GIZ and the labour department of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.
“The labor department will identify and go to vulnerable groups and give access to PWDs to also give job counselling and create awareness on how they can find employment,” she said.
She added counseling sessions will take place in the Eastern, Ashanti and the Greater Accra Regions and would include writing curriculum vitae and the identification of suitable jobs available for them and how they can scale up to fit into the job market.
Speaking to journalists during an open discussion between some selected PWDs and the officials of the labour department, the Project Manager indicated that laws governing employment of PWDs are not being enforced. Against this background, she urged authorities in charge to start creating awareness on limitations for PWDs when it comes to employment opportunities.
Ms. Claridge further advised employers to give PWDs equal opportunities in their institutions to contribute to development.
“Employers are sometimes reluctant to give opportunities to PWDs work because they do not know or have enough education on limitations that exist and how these limitations could be worked around and sometimes even after being employed, PWDs are not utilized enough,” Farid Ibrahim Gombilla, a PWD, said.
