Accra-Ghana, April 2, GNA – The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), Nii Adjei Tawiah, has advised Persons living With Disabilities (PWD’s) to identify and set themselves up in a trade.
He said even though setting up a business was not easy, it was advisable for such people to run their own businesses and become independent.
Nii Tawiah gave the advice during the fourth common fund disbursement to PWD’s by the Assembly, an initiative of the government and the Social Welfare and Community Development, to support PWDs with money and other items.
He said the Assembly had seen improvement since the institution of this initiative because it helped to reduce the number of people, who walk to their offices for individual support because they were getting the necessary support as required from government.
He urged the PWD’s to take advantage of the support from the government to engage in economic activities to look after themselves and their families, saying this would earn them the respect and dignity they deserved.
Madam Jean Ameley, the Director, Department of Social Welfare and Community Development of the Assembly, said the department monitored the beneficiary three months after every disbursement to ensure that they put the money to good use.
She encouraged parents of PWDs within the Municipality not to hide their children in their rooms but bring them out to experience all the good things that life has for them and to benefit from some of these initiatives by government and individuals.
A total of nine PWDs were presented with chest freezers and industrial sewing machines valued at GH66,000.00.
Two percent of the District Assembly Common Fund is set aside solely to address the concerns of PWDs.
It is aimed at minimizing poverty among all PWDs, particularly those outside the formal sector of employment, enhancing their social image through dignified labour, supporting their income generating activities, providing educational support and building their capacity in the districts to enable them advocate and assert their rights and undertake awareness raising and sensitization on disability issues.