By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Atortorkorpe-Ada, Dec. 06, GNA – The Ada East District Assembly has disbursed items and cash support to 107 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), as part of its obligation.
The disbursement is from three per cent of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).
Ms Sarah Dugbakie Pobi, the District Chief Executive, said it was the government’s vision to develop PWDs to become self-reliant, to get them off the streets where they had been begging for alms.
She said the government was committed to inclusivity, empowerment, and social equity, hence the distribution of essential items.
She noted that the Ada East District was not merely a geographical location but also a vibrant district with a remarkable history, cultural heritage, and a promising future, hence the need to celebrate its PWDs.
Also, “the vision of the government under H. E. Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is to prioritise the well-being of persons with disabilities,” Ms Pobi said.
She said the support being given includes medical assistance, scholarship and educational support, grants for business start-ups, and assistance for entrepreneurs.
She lauded the efforts of the PWDs for using the previously disbursed funds appropriately, urging them to continue to thrive as the government continues in its effort to make them independent.
Mr Enoch Bampoe Addy, the Head of the Department of Social Welfare and Community, Ada East, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), noted that some of the PWDs applied for provisions to sell; others want to go into salt, charcoal, rice, and other businesses.
He added that there were others who also applied for financial support for their medicals, students for their educational and scholarship support, and many more, explaining that the applications go through vetting at various stages before approval by the District Chief Executive.
He said quantifying all the support given in cash will be equivalent to GHC 304,000.00, disclosing that the disbursement has been accumulated after the last disbursement in 2022.
Some of the items disbursed are farming inputs, coconut oil production equipment, maize, and fufu pounding machines, among others.
“We also procured computers, paid school fees, bought industrial sewing machines, wheelchairs, crutches, and many other things based on the applications received,” he explained.
Mr Ebenezer Ayiku Akuaku Anderson, Chairman, Federation of Persons with Disability, Ada East, lauded the efforts of the assembly, disclosing that the DCE of the area has moved the disbursement of funds from tabletop to banking systems, explaining further that she had ensured that every PWD opens an account at the bank and all monies meant for disbursement are paid into their various accounts.
Mr Akuaku underscored the performance of Ms Sarah Pobi, stating that when she was first appointed in 2017, many people doubted her, but now, she can be counted among the best-performing MMDCEs in the Greater Accra Region and Ghana at large.
GNA