Government plans free tertiary education, 5% jobs quota for persons with disabilities

The government has announced plans to introduce free tertiary education for persons with disabilities and enforce a minimum five per cent employment quota in public and private institutions as part of efforts to improve their participation in national development. The proposed interventions form part of a broader disability inclusion agenda outlined by the Policy Advisor to the Vice President, Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, at the Day of Help for Persons with Disabilities in Koforidua on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Representing Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Dr Ofosu Ampofo said the government was committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities had equal opportunities in education, employment and other areas of national life. He said disability inclusion should be treated not as an act of charity but as a fundamental human rights issue.

“A nation is not judged solely by the strength of its economy or beauty of its infrastructure. It is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens,” he said. Under the proposed education intervention, persons with disabilities pursuing tertiary education would receive support covering tuition and residential accommodation. Dr Ofosu Ampofo said an amendment to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Act was expected to provide statutory financing for the initiative.

He also disclosed that the government had increased the allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for persons with disabilities from three to five per cent this year. In addition, disability desks are expected to be established in all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to improve access to government support and address the needs of persons with disabilities at the local level.

Government proposes 5% employment quota On employment, Dr Ofosu Ampofo said President John Dramani Mahama had announced a minimum five per cent employment quota for persons with disabilities in both public and private institutions. He said the proposed arrangement would also include tax incentives for private employers who complied with the requirement.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender is processing 272 graduates with disabilities for employment through the Ghana Education Service. The government is also pursuing legislative reforms to strengthen the protection of persons with disabilities. Dr Ofosu Ampofo said Cabinet had approved amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2006 (Act 715), to align the law with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

He cautioned, however, that improving the welfare of persons with disabilities would require more than policy interventions, noting that social attitudes and physical barriers continued to limit their participation. “The greatest obstacles are not physical conditions but society’s barriers — buildings without ramps, schools without learning aids, attitudes that mistake disability for inability,” he said.

The 2021 Population and Housing Census estimated that approximately 2.4 million people in Ghana live with disabilities, representing about eight per cent of the country’s population. CEM plans Ability Village for persons with disabilities Meanwhile, the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry (CEM) has announced plans to establish an Ability Village to provide specialised healthcare, rehabilitation, vocational training and affordable housing for persons with disabilities.

The Head of CEM Ability Village, Fred Nuer, said the ministry’s charity arm currently supports more than 7,000 persons with disabilities in Koforidua and surrounding communities in the Eastern Region. He said the support includes free medical care, assistive devices, surgeries, food and vocational training. According to Mr Nuer, the proposed Ability Village will provide technical and vocational training, software development, hardware repairs, counselling, assisted living and affordable accommodation.

The project is also expected to offer specialised healthcare and rehabilitation services, with plans to establish similar facilities across all 16 regions. CEM said the initiative was intended to create sustainable opportunities for persons with disabilities to develop their skills and live independently. Both the government and CEM called on corporate institutions, development partners and religious organisations to support long-term initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

They also stressed the importance of involving persons with disabilities in decisions affecting their lives, rather than developing policies and interventions without their meaningful participation.