Rural Banks in Eastern Region establish facilities for physically challenged

Koforidua, Nov. 5, GNA - As part of activities to mark the first Rural Banks Week, Rural Banks in Eastern Region have constructed ramps at their premises to facilitate easy entry of the wheel-chairs of the physically challenged into the banks for banking services. To commemorate the introduction of the new facility in the region, the first of such ramps was inaugurated on Friday at the Koforidua branch of the South Akim Rural Bank by the Eastern Regional branch of the Association of Rural Banks(ARBs).

As part of the inaugural ceremony, a wheel-chair and two hand sewing machines were presented to members of the Eastern Regional branch of the Ghana Association of the Physically Challenged (GAPC).

Inaugurating the facility, the Manager of the Anum Rural Bank and a member of the Board of Directors of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr. Theodore K. Gyau, said the introduction of the ramps at the Rural Banks had broken the barrier that had prevented the physically challenged from participation in wealth creation in the country. He explained that, wealth creation starts with savings and therefore, anybody who was denied participation in making savings was also being denied access to participate in the wealth creation and development of the country. On behalf of the ARB, he expressed appreciation for the introduction of the ramps and called on the physically challenged to take full advantage of the facilities offered by the rural banks to develop the saving culture.

The Eastern Regional Chairman of the GAPC, Mr. Christian Atta Sarpong, said over the years, government had put in a lot of efforts to help improve the well-being of the physically challenged but regretted that often, the efforts had not met the satisfaction of the physically challenged. He, therefore, expressed his appreciation to the Association of Rural Banks for supplementing the efforts of government.

Mr. Atta Sarpong appealed to Government to facilitate the passage of the Disability Bill before Parliament to help solve some of the problems confronting the disabled in society. He cautioned that disability could happen to anybody, anytime, irrespective of the family background or status of the fellow. In a welcoming address, the vice-president of the Eastern Regional Branch of the ARB, Nene Odeopeor Martey Kodjoe Ahwa, IV advised the beneficiary of the wheel-chair not to use it to sit by the roadside to beg for alms but rather to use it to work to improve upon his living conditions. Nana Atta Adjari, who was presented with the wheel-chair was made to drive into the bank, using the ramp to open a savings account.