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BEREKUM W: PWDS receive support from gov’t

A total of 39 Persons with Disabilities in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region, have received support in the form of cash, shops and chest freezers to enhance their living conditions.

Date Created : 5/30/2019 3:16:08 AM : Story Author : Alan T. Boakye-Yeboah/Ghanadistricts.com

The beneficiaries, who fall within the categories of visually impaired, physically challenged, hearing impaired, mentally unstable and multiple disability persons were assisted through the areas of education, health and business. Items including sewing machines, chest freezers, refrigerators, wheel chairs, industrial machines and cash were presented to the PWDs.

At a durbar held at Jamdede, District Chief Executive of the area, Mr. Isaac Osei said the aim of the PWDs share of the District Assembly’s Common Fund (DACF) is to minimize poverty among all PWDs, particularly those outside the formal sector of employment, and also to ensure the enhancement of their image through decent labour.

He said the fund is also to support the income-generating activities of individual PWDs as a means of their economic empowerment and to provide educational support for children, students and trainees with disabilities.

The DCE reiterated government’s commitment to support PWDs, through education, health and economic ventures. “The President His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo is poised and putting measures in place to empower you and the least you can do is to compliment his efforts by putting these items and cash to good use to enhance your businesses” he said.

The District Director for the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development Mr. Richard Addo said the presentation is in fulfillment of the government’s promise of improving on the lives of PWDs to enable them to become part of the mainstream society as enshrine in the Disability Act of 2006(Act 715).

Assembly member for Abisaase-Tewbaabi and Chairman of the District Fund Management team, Mr. Atta Jacob commended the government for the unflinching support towards the physically challenged and was optimistic that the gesture would bring economic benefit to the beneficiaries and their families.

He urged the beneficiaries not to indulge in frivolities, but to put the monies and items given to them to proper use. “This presentation is not a loan, it is not refundable but make sure that you use them wisely for the intended purpose,” he admonished.

A beneficiary, Mary Kyeraa, expressed gratitude to government for the kind gesture and pledged to put the items into good use, which would go a long way to improve the livelihood of their families.

She noted that PWDs were less privileged in society who struggled to make ends meet and, therefore, resorted to the streets to beg for alms and pledged that, the support received would be put to good use.