The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA), Kojo Acquah, has admonished Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) to use the items they receive periodically from the assembly for their intended purposes to help raise their standard of living.
The distribution of the items through the disability common fund is intended to alleviate the plight of PWDs by assisting them in establishing their own businesses.
So far 36 PwDs in the municipality have received items worth over GHS 100,000.00 to help support themselves and their families. They have benefited from the fund in the areas of education, health, and economic empowerment.
Presenting the last batch of the items for the year 2023 to some PwDs in the municipality, the MCE, Kojo Acquah advised them to utilize the products wisely to better themselves.
The items given included deep freezers, some provisions, and ice chests among others worth about GHS42,000.
He stated that the fund has been extremely beneficial over the years because many vulnerable people are now able to rely on themselves while also supporting others through their businesses.
“I want to thank President Akufo-Addo for the initiative and admonish the beneficiaries to utilize the items that had been given to them to empower themselves and not to sell them”, he added.
The Municipal Director of the Social Welfare Department, Florence Owusu Opare, mentioned that her outfit will continue to closely monitor the beneficiaries in order to ensure that they use the items for the intended purpose rather than selling them.
“We will be coming to monitor what is given to you and if we get there and the items are nowhere to be found, we will not be happy with you”, she told the beneficiaries.
She appealed to the government to increase the District Assembly Common Fund allocated to PWDs from 3 percent to at least 5 percent.
According to her, the current 3 per cent was woefully inadequate to cater for the number of PWDs in the area.
The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the government and the municipal assembly for their dedication and decision to improve their lives.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Effia