The Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities has given the government a two-week ultimatum to employ its qualified members in the public sector or make provision for their recruitment in the upcoming national budget.
The group has threatened to stage a three-day continuous protest at Jubilee House if the government fails to meet either of its demands.
In a statement signed by its Group Convener, Gilbert Boateng Agyare, the coalition accused the government of failing to fulfil promises made over the past eight months during engagements over employment opportunities for its members.
It said the latest ultimatum came after repeated efforts to secure a firm commitment, despite assurances from government officials that qualified graduates with disabilities would be recruited into the public sector.
The group said the government initially pledged to facilitate the employment of its members following a demonstration in March 2026. It explained that it called off the protest in good faith after receiving the assurance, but the promised recruitment never materialised.
It added that a second demonstration was subsequently organised to press for action, prompting government representatives to request a comprehensive list of qualified graduates for consideration.
The coalition said it submitted the requested list and was later informed that it had been forwarded to the President. However, it lamented that several weeks had passed without any clear indication of progress or concrete action on the matter.
“Every single pledge made to this coalition over the past eight months has proven to be totally futile,” the statement said.
The coalition alleged that government officials had only engaged protesters to persuade them to call off their demonstrations, without taking meaningful steps to fulfil the promises made.
“ We are declaring today that our patience is completely exhausted. We will no longer tolerate being used for photo opportunities or pacified by meaningless political rhetoric while qualified citizens with disabilities languish in enforced poverty and unemployment,” the statement added.
Two-week deadline for government
The coalition is urging the government to complete the recruitment and placement of all qualified graduates on its submitted list into public sector institutions within the next two weeks.
As an alternative, it wants financial clearance secured to facilitate their employment under the forthcoming national budget.
The group warned that failure to meet either of the demands within the stipulated period would prompt a three-day continuous demonstration at Jubilee House.
It stressed that protesters would remain at the seat of government until every graduate on the list received a verifiable letter of employment.
“We will not vacate the seat of government, nor will we be pacified by emergency meetings or verbal pledges. We will remain at the gates of Jubilee House until every single graduate on our list receives verifiable employment letters,” the statement warned.
Graduates with Disabilities Insist on Equal Employment Opportunities
The coalition said its members had surmounted numerous challenges to acquire university degrees and diplomas, despite barriers such as inaccessible infrastructure and unfriendly learning environments.
It stressed that their academic qualifications and professional competencies deserved recognition, arguing that they should be given equal opportunities to contribute to national development and secure decent livelihoods.
“We did not let our physical constraints stop us from pursuing higher education. We climbed staircases without ramps, sat through non-inclusive lecture halls, navigated unsupportive environments, and defied every societal expectation to earn our university degrees and diplomas,” the statement said.
The group stressed that its members were not seeking charity but equal opportunities to work, support their families and live independently.
“We do not want sympathy or charity. We demand opportunity, fairness, and justice,” it added.
Coalition Seeks Intervention from Traditional and Religious Leaders
The coalition has called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and human rights advocates to intervene in the matter and help secure a resolution.
It specifically appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II; the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin; and the Dormaahene, Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, as well as the leadership of the National House of Chiefs, to support its quest for employment opportunities for qualified graduates with disabilities.
The group also urged the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu; the Christian Council of Ghana; the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference; and the National Peace Council to lend their voices to the campaign and advocate for the rights of graduates with disabilities.
It further appealed to former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Council of State, civil society groups and governance watchdogs to support its demands, stressing that the issue should be treated as a national concern beyond political affiliations.
The coalition stressed that providing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities was a matter of human rights and social justice that deserved urgent attention at the national level.
It concluded by appealing to the President to facilitate the release of financial clearance and ensure the deployment of graduates on the submitted list, warning that it would go ahead with the planned demonstration at Jubilee House if the government failed to act within the two-week deadline.
“Enough of the empty talk. Act now, or prepare to meet us at Jubilee House,” Mr Agyare said on behalf of the coalition.
