News:
June 24, 2026
Mahama Ayariga urges Parliament to legislate job quotas, calling street begging by PWDs a “national embarrassment”
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has made a passionate appeal for new legislation that would require public institutions, factories, and private organizations to reserve a percentage of jobs for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, the Bawku Central MP described the current exclusion of PWDs from Ghana’s workforce as unacceptable and called for urgent policy intervention.
“A National Embarrassment”
Ayariga did not mince words when addressing the plight of many Ghanaians with disabilities who have turned to street begging to survive.
“We as a country must consider it as a major national embarrassment when our colleagues have to earn their living at traffic lights begging,” he told Parliament.
The Majority Leader argued that deliberate policies are essential to ensure greater participation of PWDs in the country’s workforce and to improve their livelihoods.
Quota System Proposal
Ayariga proposed that Parliament enact legislation mandating employment quotas across all sectors.
“As a Parliament, we must enact legislation which will compel a quota in every factory, organisation and institution. Just as we are enacting quotas for gender, we must also enact quotas for disabled persons,” he stated.
He dismissed concerns that PWDs lack the capacity to contribute meaningfully in the workplace, insisting that qualified candidates exist for positions in every sector of the economy.
“Invariably there is no way that you won’t find a disabled person who is qualified on his own to be an employee of a certain factory,” Ayariga added.
Beyond Employment: Political Inclusion
The Majority Leader also called for greater political representation, urging political parties to create opportunities for PWDs to contest elections and secure seats in Parliament.
“Political parties as well must make an effort to field a number of disabled persons so that they can also come to Parliament,” he said.
What’s Next?
The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions in Parliament about issues affecting persons with disabilities in Ghana. If enacted, the legislation would follow similar quota systems already being considered for gender representation in the country.
Do you think employment quotas for PWDs would be effective? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ghanamps.com