By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R), Aug 31, GNA – Mr Safo Nketia, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Krachi East, has said the increase in the allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from three to five per cent is yielding positive results in improving their livelihoods.
He said the increased allocation had strengthened the Assembly’s capacity to provide sustainable livelihood support to PWDs and enabled more beneficiaries to acquire tools, equipment and other resources to expand income-generating activities.
Mr Nketia disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Dambai, following the Assembly’s recent engagement with PWDs and the distribution of livelihood support.
He said the initiative formed part of the government’s broader commitment to promoting social inclusion, reducing economic vulnerabilities and creating equal opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate meaningfully in community development.
According to the MCE, the support had moved beyond the provision of immediate assistance to focus increasingly on economic empowerment, skills development, and sustainable livelihoods.
He said beneficiaries were supported based on their identified needs and areas of economic interest, including vocational activities, petty trading, farming, and other small-scale enterprises.
Mr Nketia noted that when properly resourced and given the necessary opportunities, PWDs could become economically independent and contribute significantly to the development of their families and communities.
He commended members of the Assembly for supporting initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of PWDs and urged beneficiaries to make prudent use of the assistance provided to generate sustainable income.
The MCE also encouraged PWDs who had not yet benefited from the programme to engage the appropriate structures of the Assembly and register their needs for consideration under future interventions.
He stressed the need for continued collaboration among the government, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, disability organisations, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to address barriers confronting PWDs.
Mr Nketia said the Assembly would continue to prioritise programmes that promoted inclusiveness and ensured that no person was excluded from development opportunities because of disability.
He called on the public to support the rights and aspirations of PWDs by creating an enabling environment for them to access education, employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and social services.
The MCE reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that resources allocated for PWDs were used transparently and effectively to produce measurable improvements in their livelihoods and overall wellbeing.
Mr Emmanuel Donkor, President of the Oti Regional chapter of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), in an interview with Ghana News Agency has expressed concern over challenges persons with disabilities (PWDs) face in accessing government agricultural interventions and called for dedicated support to promote their economic empowerment.
He said although government policies and programmes, including the provision of fertilizers and other farming inputs, were commendable, PWDs sometimes found it difficult to access such interventions due to inadequate consideration of their specific needs.
He stressed the need for government to reserve portions of agricultural inputs and implements specifically for PWDs to enable them to participate meaningfully in farming and other livelihood activities.
He said such targeted interventions would complement existing efforts to improve the livelihoods of PWDs and reduce their dependence on social support.
Mr Donkor said empowering PWDs economically would not only improve their living conditions but also enable them to contribute more actively to the development of their families and communities.
He commended government policies aimed at improving the welfare of PWDs and urged greater inclusion in the implementation of such programmes to ensure that no person was left behind.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/George-Ramsey Benamba