Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities: Gleanings from the Two Motorway Interchanges in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Leaving no one behind is central to the Sustainable Development Goals and includes almost a fifth of the world’s population who are Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Their accessibility concerns are, therefore, germane to the world’s developmental agenda. With about 8 % of Ghana’s population made up of PWDs, the study sought to ascertain how the needs of PWDs had been factored into the design, construction and management of two road interchanges that enclose the only Motorway in Ghana. The study obtained information from interchange consultants and clients using descriptive design and non-probability sampling techniques. There was also an audit of the interchanges using an accessibility standard checklist. The study found that efforts to ensure accessibility of the interchanges were not far-reaching and were constrained by the subjective decisions of clients and poor maintenance culture. The study concludes that there has been little progress in the implementation of protocols, policies and laws related to accessible and inclusive built environments. Accordingly, policy decisions should focus on parameters that will guarantee the enforcement of accessible and inclusive conditions in the design, construction and management of interchanges. These issues should be critical areas of focus for policy to help Ghana achieve the SDGs.