By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu, GNA
Keta (V/R), July 1, GNA-The Keta Municipal Assembly, through its Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, has commenced a Municipality-wide registration and database update exercise for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across all 22 electoral areas in the municipality.
The exercise, which began on June 29th at the Vui Electoral Area, has so far covered Vui, Dzelukope Amugo, and Dzelukope Afugo, and will continue in the remaining electoral areas in accordance with the implementation schedule drawn up by the Assembly.
Mr Rebert Ashie Kotey, the Keta Municipal Social Welfare Officer, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said that a total of 106 Persons with Disabilities have so far been successfully registered under the ongoing exercise, with registration teams continuing to move across the municipality to capture all eligible individuals in the remaining electoral areas.
“The categories of disabilities captured so far include persons with physical disabilities, deaf persons, persons with visual disabilities, persons with albinism, persons with hunchbacks, and other recognised disability groups under disability framework,” he said.
He explained that the initiative aims to establish a credible and comprehensive database of Persons with Disabilities within the Keta Municipality to support effective planning, ensure the equitable distribution of resources, as well as improve access to social intervention programmes, including the Disability Fund.
He emphasised that the registration exercise targeted all eligible persons under the 26 recognised disability categories, while stressing on the Assembly’s commitment to ensure that no eligible person with a disability is left behind in the data capture process.
“We have acknowledged the invaluable support from all honourable Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members, Executives of Disability Associations, opinion leaders, and community stakeholders for their commitment to mobilising and sensitising PWDs to participate in this exercise.”
Mr Kotey said that the database, once completed, would serve as a critical planning tool to guide the distribution of government support, assistive devices, and other social protection interventions targeted at persons with disabilities in the municipality.
He said the Keta Municipal Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the welfare and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the municipality and described the registration exercise as a concrete demonstration of the Assembly’s dedication to leaving no one behind in development planning.
He further encouraged all eligible individuals who are yet to be registered to take advantage of the ongoing exercise as registration teams visit the remaining electoral areas and urged community members to support their neighbours with disabilities in accessing the registration exercise.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade