The Ghana Society of Physically Disabled (GSPD) has strongly criticized dancehall artist Shatta Wale for his derogatory comments towards fellow artist Stonebwoy.
In a circulating video, Shatta Wale was seen mocking Stonebwoy’s disability, suggesting it was a divine punishment for being a “bad person.”
In an official statement released on April 15, the GSPD denounced Shatta Wale’s behavior as “irresponsible” and emphasized the unacceptability of such attitudes towards disabilities.
“The Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) has seen a video circulating on social media where Shatta Wale mocks Stonebwoy with his disability. In the said Video, Shatta Wale said among other negative statements ‘You are a bad person that is why God made you a disabled person, you are a disabled person don’t try and fight an able person’ By this statement he is trying to say all persons with disabilities are bad that is why God has made us who we are.”
The statement highlighted the diversity within the disability community, which includes fans of Shatta Wale, and called for respect and understanding.
The GSPD urged Shatta Wale to take corrective actions by removing the offensive video and issuing apologies to those affected.
Additionally, they reminded the public that mocking an individual’s disability is not only offensive but also legally reprehensible under the Disability Act 715.
The GSPD emphasized that Shatta Wale’s remarks were particularly damaging coming from a high-profile personality and called for him to retract his statement, remove the video from social media, and apologize to all persons with disabilities and Ghanaians.
They reiterated that having a disability does not imply being cursed or punished by a higher power.
Finally, the GSPD underscored that using a person’s disability to mock them or making derogatory remarks about it is a punishable offense under the law.
“This primitive statement should not have come from a high-profile personality like Shata Wale. This is an act of irresponsibility and this should be condemned by all. We want to remind Shatta Wale that a section of his fans who are making him who he is are persons with disabilities. Did he think how they would feel? or Shatta Wale thinks he has made it so he does not care?
“The GSPD takes exception to this statement and asks Shatta Wale to retract the statement, remove such video from social media and apologize to all persons with disability and Ghanaians. The GSPD reiterates that being a person with a disability does not mean you are cursed, or God is punishing you.
“Using a person’s disability to mock him or her or making derogatory remarks about a person’s disability is a punishable offence by law, refer to the Disability Act 715.”
