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Financial Inclusion: PWDs' Key Accessibility Barriers
Accessibility limitations, insufficient public awareness, and negative staff attitudes are major impediments preventing people with disabilities (PWDs) from fully participating in financial services. This is according to Alexander Bankole Williams, Assistive Technology Manager at the University of Ghana’s Institutional Advancement Directorate and a prominent advocate for disability inclusion.
During OmniBSIC Bank’s Customer Service Week visit to the University of Ghana Assistive Technology Lab, Mr. Williams observed that the financial sector in Ghana is still struggling to adequately serve customers with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments, despite advancements in digital banking and service automation.
He characterized the situation as one of "unintentional exclusion," stemming from both design flaws and misconceptions about the capabilities of PWDs.
"Accessibility, awareness, and attitude: these are the three pillars we must address if we are serious about inclusive finance," he emphasized.
"When banking apps, ATMs, or even customer service processes are designed without consulting persons with disabilities, the result is exclusion, not innovation," he added.
According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, approximately 2.09 million Ghanaians, representing eight percent of the population, live with some form of disability. Visual impairment is the most prevalent, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all disabilities, or about 1.2 million people.
The Overlooked Market Segment
Mr. Williams argued that such a substantial demographic should not be treated as a peripheral market segment but as a core component of the financial ecosystem. He criticized what he termed "architectural and digital inaccessibility," noting that many bank branches lack essential features such as:
- Wheelchair ramps
- Lowered counters
- Talking ATMs for visually impaired users
Even when digital banking platforms are available, he said, they often exclude people with impairments due to incompatible software updates or the absence of screen-reader functionality.
"Inclusion is not an act of charity; it is an act of economic wisdom. When you exclude persons with disabilities from financial participation, you are excluding up to eight percent of the productive population from contributing meaningfully to the economy," Mr. Williams stated.
Citing global studies, he explained that excluding persons with disabilities from the workforce and formal economy can cost nations as much as five to seven percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually. He therefore urged banks to view inclusion not only through a moral lens but as a growth opportunity.
"Accessibility opens markets. Inclusive design attracts loyalty. It’s not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do," he added.
Addressing Attitudinal Barriers
Mr. Williams also emphasized that attitudinal barriers remain one of the most persistent challenges faced by customers with disabilities. He recounted instances where visually impaired customers were denied debit cards "for their safety" or where staff directed questions to a guide rather than to the actual account-holder.
Such behavior, he noted, undermines both customer dignity and institutional credibility.
He further explained that the lack of independence in banking transactions exposes many visually impaired individuals to exploitation and financial abuse. "If a blind customer has to depend on someone else to make a withdrawal, that is not accessibility – it is a vulnerability," he said, urging financial institutions to prioritize privacy and autonomy in their service design.
Leveraging Technology for Inclusion
Regarding technology, Mr. Williams advocated the co-design of digital tools with PWDs to ensure usability. He called for banking apps and ATMs equipped with:
- Voice guidance
- Haptic feedback
- Compatibility with assistive screen-readers
He also encouraged banks to regularly audit their platforms for accessibility and collaborate with experts from institutions such as the University of Ghana’s Assistive Technology Lab.
He commended OmniBSIC Bank for taking steps to promote inclusion, describing its engagement with the Lab as "a demonstration of corporate empathy and foresight." However, he noted that broader sectoral reform is necessary, beginning with staff training and integration of accessibility standards into banking regulations.
"Financial inclusion must mean inclusion for everyone. When we design with empathy, when we hire inclusively and when we serve without bias, we are not just transforming banking; we are transforming society," Mr. Williams further stated.
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