The Ghana Society of Physically Disabled (GSPD) has expressed outrage and condemnation towards dancehall artiste Shatta Wale for his derogatory remarks towards fellow artiste Stonebwoy. In a video that has been circulating on social media, Shatta Wale can be seen mocking Stonebwoy’s disability, implying that it is a result of being a bad person in the eyes of God.
The GSPD, in a statement released on April 15th, described Shatta Wale’s behavior as “irresponsible” and unacceptable. They emphasized the need for respect and understanding towards individuals with disabilities, reminding the public that mocking someone’s disability is not only offensive but also legally reprehensible under the Disability Act 715.
The GSPD highlighted the diversity within their community, including fans of Shatta Wale, and called on the artiste to take corrective actions by removing the offensive video and issuing apologies to those affected. They stressed that using someone’s disability to mock them or make derogatory remarks is a punishable offense by law.
The GSPD also pointed out that a section of Shatta Wale’s fans are persons with disabilities and questioned whether he had considered their feelings before making such remarks. They called on Shatta Wale to retract his statement, remove the video from social media, and apologize to all persons with disabilities and Ghanaians as a whole.
The statement by the GSPD serves as a reminder that being a person with a disability does not equate to being cursed or punished by God. It is important for high-profile personalities like Shatta Wale to be held accountable for their words and actions, especially when it involves demeaning individuals with disabilities.
