PWDs In Asamankese Get Support

About 100 people living with disabilities in the Lower West Akim Municipality (Asamankese) of the Eastern Region, have expressed great pleasure and gratitude to President Akufo-Addo and his government for the continuous support offered people living with disabilities.

Their appreciation comes in the wake of a presentation of some items to them by the Lower West Akim Municipal Assembly.

The items ranging from deep freezers, sewing machines, wheelbarrows, farm implements, toiletries, stationary and food items, is to help people living with disabilities to start up their own businesses to fend for themselves.

Speaking to Citi News after the presentation of the items to the beneficiaries, the Municipal Chief Executive officer of the Lower West Akim Municipality, Seth Oduro Boadu, indicated that the items were specifically requested by the beneficiaries after a needs assessment exercise.

“What we did here today was an instruction from government that immediately the people with disabilities fund hits the account of the local assemblies, we should not give them the physical cash, and that is exactly what we have done. We were instructed to do a needs assessment to know what exactly they wanted so we set up a committee to do that and they went round to get the necessary information and based on the assessments conducted we arrived at these items.”

“I am very happy with the excitement and contentment the people have demonstrated so we are not going to stop here, but continue to do that and any time their funds come we will do exactly that for them. One woman said she had a store and wanted to rent chairs so we have bought 50 chairs for her to start her hiring business. Some also said there are schools in their area so they wanted to start a stationary and provisions shop and we have bought all that they need to do that.”

Seth Oduro Boadu further stated that the items will go a long way to help them not to be dependent on their relatives.

“I believe strongly that since they requested the items themselves it will help them to be sound financially because these are items they said will help them in their business and startups so when they put them to good use, they will get money, save some and invest some to be financially independent.

“We are also going to monitor their activities periodically, the committee which conducted the needs assessment has been charged to visit them on regular basis to ascertain whether they are putting the items to good use and the various assembly members in those areas will help us to do that.”

Okai Solomon, a tailor who received a brand new sewing machine told Citi News that the machine will help him expand his business.

“I am very happy with the machine I have been given today, I am going to employ someone else to come and help me at the shop so I can expand output. The money which I was going to use to purchase a new machine for my worker, I will use it to buy materials and design some nice clothes and sell.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citinewsroom.com/Ghana