Nana Addo apologises to persons with disabilities over deaf and blind comment

His apology comes after the President took swipe at Ghanaians who have refused to see his achievements within the past two years.

Speaking at a rally at Ayawaso West Wuogon on Tuesday, 29 January 2019 ahead of Thursday's by-election, Nana Addo said "It is only the blind and the dead" who cannot see and experience his achievements in the past 24 months.

He also disclosed that he has fulfilled most of the promises he made during the 2016 election year.

However, Members of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations described the president's statement as "derogatory" and called on him to retract and apologise.

Nana Addo apologised to PwDs and described his statement as a "political metaphor".

In a Facebook post, he said he "did not intend any slight on Persons with Disabilities".

He wrote: "Vis-à-vis the comments I made at the final rally prior to the holding of the by-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon, which was won by the NPP candidate so emphatically, I am glad the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations recognises it was a ‘political metaphor’. I did not intend any slight on Persons with Disabilities, nor would I ever, and I hope they know that.

"If there has been any government that has been on the side of Persons with Disabilities, it is my government. We have increased the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund to Persons with Disabilities from 2% to 3%, and we have also ensured the implementation of our pledge of employing 50% of the persons who manage the country’s toll booths from amongst Persons with Disabilities. I apologise for any unintended slight from the ‘political metaphor."