The Ghana Blind Union (GBU) has repeated calls for support to provide white canes for its members.
The union previously called for help to provide white canes for the more than 70% of its over 23,000 members without white canes.
The white cane which symbolizes the independence of the blind, costs between Ghc80 to Ghc100, making it hard for many blind in the country to afford.
The situation makes them dependent on their families to find their way around, and that hugely impedes their development as well as efforts to be active participants in the development of the country.
Ideally, the Government of Ghana should be providing a white cane for every blind person in the country, but that is not the case.
The Executive Director of GBU, Dr. Peter Obeng-Asamoa says, provision of such an essential assistive device to the blind would be contributing to efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adding that the blind are also Ghanaians and their wellbeing and development must be of concern to the Government.
Dr. Obeng-Asamoa was speaking with DisabilityNewsGH on this year’s World White Cane Day.
October 15 every year is celebrated worldwide as White Cane Day. The date is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.
The Theme for this year is ‘a symbol of independence and right’.
Dr. Obeng-Asamoa is calling on the Government, cooperate bodies as well as individuals to come on board to provide white canes for all blind people in the country.
He says, in addition to the provision of the canes which help them to locate physical barriers, efforts must also be made to remove all societal barriers that hinder their access to education, healthcare, political participation, employment, as well as other human rights.
Dr. Obeng-Asamoa urges the general public, including motorists to assist the blind, anytime they see them in public.
Source: disabilitynewsgh.com
