KMA assists the blind with 30 million cedis

Kumasi, Dec 19, GNA- The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has donated 30 million cedis to the women's wing of the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB) in the Kumasi metropolis to support their activities. The donation is also to help them contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.

The assembly had already supported some persons with disability with funds to help them pursue higher educational courses and also acquire skills at rehabilitation centres.

Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, made this known in a speech read for her during the cel ebration of the International Day of the Disabled in Kumasi on Monday.

The theme for the celebration was "Highlighting the Ability in Disability - The Disabled as a Partner in Development".

She commended the government for passing the Disability Bill into law and hoped that the it would create the awareness on disability issues, and provide the basis and guidance for provision of infrastructure, as well as social services to tap the potentials of persons with disability.

Madam Appiagyei said to implement the law, all ministries, departments and agencies have been requested to design disability friendly infrastructure and services to enhance the activities of disabled persons.

She assured that the KMA would honour its obligation of disbursing five per cent of its common fund to support the activities of disabled persons in the Kumasi metropolis. She used the opportunity to appeal to all persons with disability not to solicit for arms, but instead, exploit their God-given talents by availing themselves of programmes of the government and acquiring vocational skills from rehabilitation centres. Mr Yaw Attakora Asamoah Opoku, the Interim Chairman of the Kumasi Metropolitan Coalition of Organisations of the Disabled, announced that it has planned to construct a multi-purpose office in Kumasi to support its activities.

He appealed to traditional rulers, churches and benevolent organisations to provide land and support to enable the project take off.

Mr Opoku appealed to the various metropolitan and district assemblies to obey government's directive of disbursing five per cent of their common fund to support the activities of persons with disability. He was not happy about the way some disabled persons were treated in society and urged the public to give them the opportunities to enable them become self-dependent.