Some items presented to the beneficiaries
The Jomoro Municipal Assembly in the Western Region, through its Municipal Disability Fund Management Committee, has provided support to eighty-one (81) persons with disabilities within the area.
This support comes as a result of the NPP's 2016 campaign promise to increase the Disability Fund Component of the District Assemblies Common Fund, from two per cent (2%) to three per cent (3%).
Money and items totalling GHC140,000.00 were presented to the beneficiaries at a colourful ceremony held at Tikobo No.1 on Tuesday, December 24, 2019.
The items included; twenty (20) deep freezers, five (5) tricycles, seven (7) sewing machines, three (3) cassava grating machines, two (2) pepper grinding machines, two sets of hairdressing tools, two (2) laptops amongst others.
The rest were; fufu pounding machine, utensils, piglets, shoemaking tools, baking items. Thirty-eight members of the group, however, received physical cash from the Assembly.
Making the presentation, Hon. Ernest Kofie, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, said the Disability Fund which was meant to provide PWDs' cash previously, was either misapplied or didn't reach the intended beneficiaries.
He explained that the Akufo-Addo-led government upon assumption of office decided to change the status quo to the procurement of specific economic items and business inputs for beneficiaries.
To this end, the MCE reiterated government's commitment to continue to offer support to PWDs, through education, health and economic ventures.
He reminded them that the financial assistance given was to help them start their businesses for which they applied for the support.
He, therefore, advised them to take proper care of the items to enhance their businesses.
He disclosed to the gathering that a team of monitors would visit the beneficiaries to know whether the items were actually serving the intended purposes.
Mr. Ernest Kofie seized the occasion to appeal to able-bodied individuals not to discriminate or stigmatise against PWDs but rather co-exist with them peacefully as one people with a common destiny.
He said able-bodied people could be like them (PWDs), "Disability is not inability", rather such persons are special in their own way, he remarked.
He also encouraged PWDs not to look down on themselves but strive to develop their talents for their own benefit.
