Bolgatanga Rehabilitation Centre still closed down

Bolgatanga, May 27, GNA - The only Rehabilitation Centre that served as a training facility for persons with disability in the Upper East Region has been closed down for the past seven years.

The Centre was closed down in 2010 for lack of feeding grant and teaching materials and has remained under lock, with equipment and the structure at the mercy of the weather.

The instructors are also idling about.
Mr David Anea, the Regional Coordinator of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations who spoke with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, described the situation as unfortunate.

According to him, the Centre served as training grounds for persons with physical disability in the Region.

He said most of those who were under training when the centre was closed down had remained at home while others went to streets in the cities to beg.

Mr Anea therefore appealed to the Ghana @60 celebration planning committee to adopt the Centre and help renovate it for its original purpose or create more opportunities for the physically challenged in the Region.

He also called on corporate organisations to come to the aid of the Centre to enable it gain back its past glory when the trainees acquired skills to become gainfully employed and train others.

He called for a change in some of the programmes that were taught at the facility.

He noted that some of the products made by the trainees, including doormats were losing market due to infiltration of foreign types.

Mr James Ayesake of the Department of Social Welfare in Bolgatanga who confirmed the closure of the Centre said the Gender Minister in a recent visit to the Region visited the area and was aware of the situation.

He expressed confidence that the necessary steps would be taken to bring the Centre to use again.

GNA

By Fatima Anafu-Astanga, GNA