Mr Lawrence Adutuah-Asiaw, the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB) District Chief Executive (DCE), on Wednesday, presented quantities of relief items to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) within the district.
The items included; freezers, industrial sewing machines, grinding machines, baking ovens, and spraying machines.
The items were procured with the three per cent allocation of the PWDs Fund being three per cent of the District Assembly’s Common Fund (DACF) to support the PWDs to start their own businesses to become economically self-dependent.
In all, 400 people benefited from the items disbursed through the Social Welfare and Community Development Department of the Assembly.
Presenting the items, Mr Asiaw said the intervention was in line with the Assembly’s vision to empower all persons with disabilities in the district.
It was also in fulfilment of the government’s responsibility to support PWDs to reduce poverty and improve their livelihood.
He said over the years, the Assembly had facilitated the disbursement of funds to PWDs in the various communities in the district and encouraged the young ones to enroll in school or take up various forms of apprenticeship, all in a bid to empower and make them be self-reliant.
The DCE said the items were provided based on requests made by PWDs and warned the beneficiaries against selling the items but using them purposefully because follow-ups would be made to check on their prudent use.
Mr Adutuah-Asiaw also called on the PWDs in the district not to hesitate to approach the Assembly anytime the need arose, adding that the Assembly would continue to support them.
He further appealed to able-bodied individuals not to stigmatize or discriminate against PWDs but encourage and be humane to them.
He further advised the beneficiaries to put the items to effective use saying, “those who benefited from the previous donations are judiciously using their items and we urge you to do the same.”
He said the assembly would closely monitor the utilization of the item, to make sure that the items were properly and effectively used to transform their living conditions.
Mr Kwame Ofori Amankwa, chairman of the PWDs in the District in an interview with the Ghana News Agency thanked the Assembly for the support but regretted the politicisation of the beneficiaries and delays in the disbursement of their share of the DACF.
He appealed to the government to ensure they got their items on time and encouraged PWDs not to look down on themselves but strive to develop their talents for their benefit.
