Accra: Corporate Ghana has been urged to overhaul workplace systems to ensure full inclusion of persons with disabilities, as experts warn that persistent structural and attitudinal barriers continue to limit their meaningful participation in the economy. Professor Augustana Naami, Social Work scholar at the University of Ghana, made the call at the EmpowAbility Seminar 2.0, organised by the Centre for Employment of PWDs in collaboration with No Limit Foundation in Accra to mark this year's May Day under the theme 'Celebrating the Ghanaian Worker: Opportunity for All.'
According to Ghana News Agency, during a panel discussion, Prof Naami stressed that inclusion must move beyond rhetoric to deliberate institutional reform. She emphasized that Corporate Ghana must intentionally restructure workplace systems to accommodate persons with disabilities as a strategic necessity. Despite Ghana's economic growth, many individuals, particularly PWDs, remain excluded due to poorly designed systems that fail to account for diversity.
Professor Naami explained that an inclusive economy is one where everyone is allowed to actively participate, benefit, and prosper, with equal access to employment opportunities and necessary support structures. She highlighted that achieving such a system requires accessible infrastructure, adaptive technologies, and workplace policies that enable PWDs to function effectively.
She identified entrenched societal attitudes as a significant obstacle to inclusion, noting that discrimination often stems from perception rather than capability. Prof Naami urged employers and the public to focus on the person, not the disability, highlighting misconceptions about PWDs that continue to shape hiring practices in disadvantageous ways. She pointed to research showing that persons with disabilities are significantly less likely to secure employment than their non-disabled counterparts.
Prof Naami shared a personal experience to illustrate the challenge, describing how only one out of eight organizations offered her employment after completing her Master's Degree. This experience reflects broader systemic issues affecting many PWDs across the country.
She called for businesses to adopt practical, sustained strategies that integrate PWDs into core operations, moving beyond symbolic inclusion efforts. Employers must avoid reallocating qualified PWDs to lower-level roles and instead provide necessary accommodations for effective performance. Prof Naami outlined key reforms, advocating for inclusive workplace systems prioritising flexibility, accessibility, and employee engagement.
She emphasized that such adjustments are essential, not burdensome, and stressed that inclusion must extend beyond hiring to encompass professional development and leadership opportunities. Workplace policies should address disability disclosure supportively, ensuring employees feel safe to request accommodations.
The professor highlighted the urgent need for reform in transitioning between education and employment, noting that recruitment processes often fail to support PWDs. She argued that the issue is not a shortage of talent and pointed to the growing number of qualified professionals with disabilities in various sectors.
Prof Naami concluded that the exclusion of PWDs is not only a social injustice but also an economic inefficiency, as businesses lose access to untapped talent and broader market opportunities. She noted that PWDs represent a significant economic constituency, including extended networks of families and communities.
The seminar also featured contributions from Mr Alexander K. Tetteh, Director of the Centre for Employment of Persons with Disability, reinforcing calls for deliberate workplace reforms to enhance inclusion. Participants agreed that building an inclusive economy requires coordinated efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society, focusing on accountability and measurable outcomes. As Ghana reflects on workers' contributions during the May Day period, the message is clear: systemic change is essential for inclusion to become a reality.