By Kamal Ahmed
Somanya (E/R), Jan. 16, GNA – The Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly (YKMA), Somanya in the Eastern Region, has intensified efforts to ensure sustainable economic empowerment for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs).
The empowerment was in the form of distributing livelihood support items to 74 beneficiaries in the municipality.
The items were delivered through the Social Welfare and Community Development Department, and it formed part of the government’s Disability Common Fund (DCF) programme aimed at promoting independence and reducing poverty among PWDs.
Under the intervention, 31 beneficiaries received livelihood start-up kits including chest freezers, industrial sewing machines, polytanks, fufu processing machines and trading items such as gari and charcoal.
Eleven others received start-up capital, while additional beneficiaries were supported with educational assistance, medical care, and assistive devices.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Francis Addo Akumatey, the Yilo Krobo Municipal Chief Executive, said the recent increase in the Disability Common Fund allocation from three percent to five percent was a deliberate move by the government to expand opportunities for PWDs.
He said: “This support is not charity but an investment in the abilities of persons with disabilities. Government expects beneficiaries to use these resources to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the local economy. “
Regarding the criteria for selection, Madam Na-Afua Woyram Tettey, the Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, said beneficiaries were selected through applications, field verification, and approval by the Disability Fund Management Committee to ensure fairness and value for money.
She noted that strict measures had been put in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of the fund and cautioned beneficiaries against selling the items.
She therefore announced the commencement of routine monitoring visits to assess progress and compliance, saying that ” we will be visiting you regularly to monitor how the items are being used. Any sale of the items will not be tolerated. “
The beneficiaries expressed optimism about their future, describing the iintervention as a turning point that would enable them to start or expand their businesses and become financially independent.
Ms Vida Awaitey, the President of the Ghana Federation of Disability in the Yilo Krobo municipality, encouraged the rest of the persons with disabilities to register with the association to strengthen collective advocacy and improve access to government support programmes.
GNA
Edited by E.B. Addae