The Faculty of Social Sciences Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
EP-2020-MAC-01, Dr. Enoch F. Sam, Dept. of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Partners:
- Esther Y. Danso-Wiredu, Dept. of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
- Prof Samuel Hayford, Dept. of Special Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
- Dr Michael Munene, School of the Arts and Design, University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Dr Edwin Oyaro Ondieki, Dept. of Architecture and Building Science, University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Dr Elizabeth Kanini Wamuchiru, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Local Stakeholders and Academic and Practice Advisory Panel
- Ms Adelaide S. Munyolo, Dept. of Disability Mainstreaming, National Council for People with Disabilities, Kenya
- Mr Edem Tekpor Gbeckor-Kove, Physical Planning Dept., Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Accra, Ghana
- Dr Peter Obeng Asamoah- Executive Director, Ghana Blind Union, Ghana
- Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNEEC), Ghana
- Mr Juventus Duorinaah, Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Ghana
Abstract:
The proposed project aims at a comparative analysis of the daily mobility patterns, needs, experiences and challenges of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in accessing urban transport systems in Accra, Ghana and Nairobi, Kenya.
Premised on urban mobility concepts, disability theories and social inclusion of PWDs, the project also intends to explore the implications of these mobility challenges for their social inclusion and ability to function independently in society. There is a lack of proper guidelines to ensure the design and provision of inclusive infrastructure and services that meet the requirements of PWDs. There are also capacity gaps for key institutions dealing with issues of PWDs in creating awareness and implementing structures for their rights and under the international obligations such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 2006, Article 29 of the Constitution of Ghana (1992), and Article 54 of the Constitution of Kenya (2010) which advocate for inclusivity. These factors among others have been ascertained to negatively affect the travel patterns and general livelihood of PWDs.
Dr. Enoch Sam obtained his Doctor of Transportation Sciences degree from Hasselt University, Belgium in 2019. He is a Senior Lecturer in Transport Geography with over 7 years of teaching and research in public transport operations and management, traffic safety, traffic behaviour of vulnerable road users and sustainable urban mobility. He has and continues to contribute to international impact factor journals and conferences on traffic safety, public transport and sustainable urban mobility.
He has won several (academic) awards including the BOF-BILLA PhD grant from Hasselt University, Belgium, and other scholarships from VLIOR-UOS (Belgium) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) (Senegal).
He is currently the Head of the Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba. He also serves as one of the local consultants for ROM-Transportation Engineering Ltd, an Israeli company implementing the French Development Agency (AFD)-funded project “Public transport sector enhancement in Kumasi: Bus operation preparation and BRT projects feasibility” in Ghana.