As part of activities marking her 60th birthday, the Deputy Chief of Staff (Admin) and renowned human rights advocate, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, on Thursday marked the opening of her 60th birthday celebrations with a donation to the Dzorwulu Special School in Accra, using the milestone to renew a national call for stronger support for persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups.
The event, held at the school premises, brought together school authorities, students,
representatives from the Ministry of Education, officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES), members of the media, and invited guests.
Rather than a personal celebration, Nana Oye chose an act of service—underscoring her belief that national progress is measured by how a society treats its most vulnerable.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nana Oye described birthdays not merely as personal milestones, but as moments for reflection, gratitude, and recommitment to service. She noted that reaching the age of 60 had deepened her resolve to give back, particularly to children living with disabilities, whom she described as “equal bearers of promise, potential, and national worth.”
Education, she stressed, remains the most powerful tool for empowerment and transformation. Drawing on her own life journey, Nana Oye credited education—anchored in faith, discipline, and opportunity— as the foundation of her personal and professional achievements.
Supporting education, especially for children with special needs, she said, is therefore both a moral duty and a patriotic responsibility.
For decades, Nana Oye has been a consistent voice for the downtrodden, the voiceless, and
those pushed to the margins of society. From her work in human rights law to her public service roles, she has championed justice, dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity, with a particular focus on women, children, and individuals living with disabilities.
Her decision to donate to Dzorwulu Special School, she explained, was informed by the institution’s longstanding commitment to empowering learners with special needs and
restoring hope through quality education.
She expressed confidence that the items donated would enhance teaching and learning, improve student wellbeing, and strengthen the school’s capacity to nurture independent and confident citizens.
Nana Oye used the occasion to call for sustained national investment in persons with
disabilities, urging government institutions, the private sector, civil society, and citizens to work collectively to remove barriers and expand opportunities.
“Disability has never been an inability,” she emphasized, adding that the stories of persons living with disabilities continue to demonstrate resilience, excellence, and untapped national potential.
The ceremony concluded with expressions of appreciation from the school’s management and warm interactions with students— reflecting a celebration rooted not in ceremony, but in service to Ghana and its people
