The Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in conjunction with the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD) has held a programme for Persons living with Disabilities (PWDs) on campus.

The initiative, dubbed “Touching Lives," is aimed at providing a confidence-boosting environment for students with disabilities to unearth their God-given potentials to the fullest. The event which brought together students from the University of Ghana, University of Education, and the Cape Coast School for Deaf and Blind, was organised under the theme, "Disability is not Inability".

Addressing the gathering, the president of Disability Foundation, Mr. W. Ansah, stressed the need for stakeholders to highlight the plight of persons with disabilities in Ghana. Mr. Ansah, who was the guest speaker for the programme, said the issue of disability must not be overlooked and called on the public to take the issue of PWDs seriously.

He said PWDs do not need sympathy from any Ghanaian; what they rather need is to be fully integrated into the society without discrimination.  He urged the students with disabilities to take their studies very serious so as to become responsible citizens in the country.

For his part, the Vice-Dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Eugene Dartey, lauded the SRC for coming out with the initiative.He assured the students that the office of the Dean of Students' Affairs would give its support to any initiative aimed at supporting PWDs on campus. He said the University would not shirk its responsibility in creating a conducive environment for PWDs to enhance their academic work.

In his remarks, the SRC President, Mr. Dennis Larbi Ampofo, said the SRC would promote the issue of PWDs across every nook and cranny of the University. Mr. Ampofo said the introduction of the Disability Fund was to support students with disabilities to enhance their living conditions on campus.

He appealed to stakeholders, corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations and public-spirited Ghanaians to support the GFD to mitigate physical, social and economic barriers facing persons with disabilities in the country.

The President of Campus Association of Students with Special Needs (CASSN) of the University of Ghana, Mr. Samuel Kobina Eduaful, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed gratitude to the leadership of the SRC for coming out with the programme.