By Nii Martey M. Botchway, GNA
Accra, Aug. 25, GNA – The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) has disbursed GH¢600,000 in cash grants and business equipment to 92 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the municipality to support their livelihoods and promote economic independence.
The support, drawn from the PWD component of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), comprised industrial sewing machines, deep freezers, salon equipment, water storage tanks, fufu machines and container shops, among others.
The cash grants ranged between GH¢3,000 and GH¢6,000 and were intended to support beneficiaries in education, healthcare, income-generating activities and personal welfare.
Speaking at a ceremony to hand over the items and grants, Mr Kabu Saint, Chairman of the Disability Fund Management Committee of LEKMA, urged beneficiaries to use the support for its intended purposes.
He said the items were selected based on the specific needs of the beneficiaries following consultations, vetting and needs assessments conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in collaboration with the Disability Fund Management Committee.
Mr Saint said the latest disbursement had enabled the Assembly to support more beneficiaries than it usually did, following the Government’s decision to increase the allocation for PWDs from three per cent to five per cent of the DACF.
He commended the Government for the increase, saying it would enable more persons with disabilities to benefit from the intervention.
He said the Assembly would continue to implement government policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare, inclusion and socio-economic empowerment of PWDs.
Mr Benjamin Narteh Ayiku, Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, commended the Assembly for ensuring that resources allocated to PWDs reached the beneficiaries.
He said the prompt release of resources was essential to making government interventions effective, stressing that the empowerment of PWDs should not be viewed as charity but as a recognition of their rights and an investment in the development of the municipality.
“The funds will have little impact if they are not promptly released to the beneficiaries,” he said.
Mr Ayiku urged the Assembly to ensure the swift disbursement of funds whenever they were released, adding that the intervention was intended to enhance the economic independence and social inclusion of PWDs.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the support and turn the opportunities provided into sustainable livelihoods.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to the Ghana News Agency expressed appreciation for the support.
Mr Quartey Kwatey, a beneficiary who received a chest freezer and cash, said the intervention would empower him to become self-reliant.
He said he intended to use the freezer to sell water and drinks to generate income.
Madam Ruth Kubglenu, who received GH¢6,000 to support her physically challenged child, said the assistance would go a long way to cater for his needs.
She expressed appreciation to the Assembly for the support and appealed for prompt disbursement of the funds in future to enable beneficiaries to plan effectively.
GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong