By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, June 12, GNA – Madam Deborah Ampofo, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Ga East Municipal Assembly (GEMA), has urged Persons With Disability (PWD’s) to desist from selling items given to them to support their lives.
She said the selling of donated items and the misappropriation of funds derived from such transactions did not auger well for the well-being of PWDs in the Ghanaian society.
“Sometimes, when we give you these items, some of you sell them and misuse the funds and end up begging on the streets and losing respect in society and your families. These items are to enable you earn a living to take care of yourselves and families so please use them as purposed.”
The MCE made this observation during the disbursement of District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to PWDs within the Municipality.
A cash amount totaling GHC37,500.00 and GHC10,694.00 were given to some of the beneficiaries to respectively augment their income-generating ventures and support education and health needs.
Other items distributed included eight deep freezer, one display fridge, one washing machine, two knitting machine, two industrial sewing machines, one oven, one gas cylinder, one fufu pounding machine, one polytank, and one drilling machine.
Madam Ampofo said, “this forms part of the 3 percent DACF allocated to PWD’s, which all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are enjoined to disburse to support the livelihoods and welfare needs of the PWDs.
She reiterated the government’s commitment towards PWDs and charged the beneficiaries to take good care of the items and use them for the purpose for which they were given.
Mr. Gyamfi, President, Ga East Federation of PWDs, expressed utmost appreciation to the Assembly for demonstrating care and love towards them and always ensuring their needs were met.
He commended the MCE for not hesitating to disburse their share of the DACF, giving that she had been in office for a short period now, and assured that beneficiaries would use the items and funds appropriately to meet the needs they presented to the Assembly.
Ms. Christine Osei Bonsu, Municipal Director, Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, advised the beneficiaries to keep the items properly to last and serve their purposes, adding that monitoring teams would be visiting the beneficiaries to ensure they were using the items as required.
GNA