Living With Disability: The Untold Stories of Accessibility in Ghana

By Naa Lamptey

Koforidua, Ghana — Every morning, 25-year-old Adjoa Koomson wheels herself down a dirt path riddled with stones, puddles, and sharp turns. It’s just 300 meters to the roadside — but it can take up to 20 minutes. Sometimes, the wheels get stuck. Sometimes, she tips over.

“I’m always scared I’ll fall,” she says. “But I can’t just stay home.”

Adjoa was born with spina bifida. She uses a wheelchair to move around, but Ghana’s cities, transport systems, and institutions remain largely inaccessible — making daily life a test of strength, patience, and endurance.

Disability in Ghana: The Statistics and Reality

According to the Ghana Statistical Service:

Roughly 8% of the population lives with a disability
The most common types include visual, hearing, mobility, and speech impairments
Women and the elderly are disproportionately affected
Access to education, employment, and public services remains severely limited

Despite the passing of the Persons with Disability Act (2006) and the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, many promises remain unfulfilled on the ground.

The Built Environment: Not Built for Everyone

Walk through any Ghanaian city, and the evidence is clear:

Sidewalks are uneven or blocked by kiosks and open gutters
Public buildings rarely have ramps or elevators
Public buses (trotros and STC) are not wheelchair-accessible
Signage and information for the visually or hearing impaired is almost nonexistent

“I couldn’t go to SHS because the school had staircases everywhere,” says Kwame, a 19-year-old with cerebral palsy. “They said I’d be a burden.”

The Emotional Cost

Living with a disability in Ghana is not just a logistical challenge — it’s an emotional one:

Stigma and cultural beliefs label people with disabilities as cursed or dependent
Isolation due to limited mobility and poor social inclusion
Mental health issues stemming from exclusion and lack of purpose

“I have dreams too,” says Adjoa. “But it feels like I’m invisible.”

Education: Still Out of Reach

Only a fraction of children with disabilities attend school:

Special schools are few and poorly resourced
Mainstream schools lack training and infrastructure to support inclusive learning
Teachers are overwhelmed or under-informed, leading to neglect or exclusion

“I had to drop out after JHS,” says Mary, who is deaf. “There was no interpreter, and I kept failing.”

Some NGOs offer braille books, sign language classes, and after-school support, but coverage is patchy and underfunded.

Employment: A Distant Dream

The unemployment rate among persons with disabilities is significantly higher than the national average.

Barriers include:

Employer discrimination
Lack of transport to work locations
No accessible infrastructure in offices
Lack of vocational training programs

“I learned bead-making,” says Kwame, “but I need capital. No one wants to lend to a crippled boy.”

Stories of Strength

Still, in the face of adversity, many are carving their own paths:

Adjoa now makes and sells customized throw pillows online, promoting her brand on WhatsApp
Kwame runs a small home workshop, selling handmade jewelry
Mary works as a seamstress, trained by an inclusive NGO in Ho
Isaac Dogboe, a partially blind lawyer, now advocates for disability law enforcement in Accra courts

“These stories are not exceptional,” says advocate Nana Serwaa. “They’re evidence of what’s possible — if society opens its doors.”

Progress and Policy

There have been notable efforts:

Ghana’s Disability Act (2006) promised accessibility in public buildings, transport, and education
The government recently launched a Disability Common Fund for local assemblies to support persons with disabilities
Some cities have begun adding ramps and signage in municipal buildings
University of Ghana now has a dedicated disability support office

But critics argue enforcement is weak and oversight is minimal.

“What good is a law,” asks Adjoa, “if no one enforces it?”

What Needs to Change?

Experts and advocates point to key interventions:

Enforce accessibility standards for all new buildings
Train public servants and educators in disability inclusion
Fund disability-focused vocational training and entrepreneurship
Subsidize assistive devices like wheelchairs, hearing aids, and braille tools
Launch public campaigns to shift cultural attitudes and reduce stigma

“If we design for everyone,” says urban planner Kwame Nkrumah Mensah, “we build a better society — for all.”

A Future Worth Building

Adjoa dreams of opening a physical shop someday — one with a wide, smooth ramp, automatic doors, and a quiet space for other wheelchair users.

“Not a place just for us,” she smiles, “but a place where we’re not left out.”

Her dream is not about charity — it’s about equity.

And until Ghana becomes a country that sees ability, not just disability, those like Adjoa will keep pushing — not just their wheels, but an entire nation’s conscience.