By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
Madam Deborah Adjei, a visually impaired woman from Sekyere Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, has called on the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, to urge his fellow ministers to marry women living with disabilities as a catalytic gesture to dismantle stigma and entrench inclusivity within Ghanaian society.
Madam Adjei made the impassioned plea during a stakeholder engagement convened by the Minister to interface with persons with disabilities, widows, and orphans across the region. The forum, held at the Asokwa Interchange, assembled representatives from a constellation of disability groups and vulnerable communities.
With unvarnished candor, Madam Adjei illuminated the profound social adversities confronting women with disabilities, particularly in navigating the labyrinth of love and matrimony. She lamented that entrenched societal prejudices and discriminatory attitudes often consign them to the margins, eroding their confidence and sense of belonging.
“Our condition makes it difficult for us to find partners, and this affects our confidence and sense of belonging in society,” she asserted. “If ministers of state begin to marry women with disabilities, it will serve as a strong example and motivate other men to follow suit.”
She emphasized that such precedent-setting actions by public figures would not merely shatter stereotypes but would also normalize unions involving persons with disabilities, thereby cultivating broader societal acceptance and equality.
The engagement drew participants from disability associations spanning several districts, including the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Sekyere Kumawu, Kwadaso Municipal, Atwima Nwabiagya North and South, and Asante Akim North, among others.
The initiative forms part of a strategic thrust by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to amplify the voices of vulnerable groups, diagnose their exigencies, and advance policies geared toward enhancing their welfare and mainstreaming their participation in society.
Observers at the event noted that Madam Adjei’s appeal underscores the urgent imperative for deliberate societal reorientation to combat stigma and guarantee equitable opportunities for persons living with disabilities in every facet of life, including marriage and family.
Responding to the appeal, Dr. Frank Amoakohene acknowledged that although he and several of his colleagues present are already married, he remains resolutely committed to supporting any man who chooses to marry a woman living with a disability.