Forty-Five persons with disabilities (PWDs) at Nkawie in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality in the Ashanti Region have received start-up capital and various items to help them start income-generating businesses.
The support from the municipal assembly is intended to help the beneficiaries become financially independent.
Of the number, 20 people received a total of GH₵60,000 as start-up capital to start new businesses or expand existing ones, while eight others also received a total of GH₵21,500 to cover their fees and other welfare logistics they require at their respective training at the rehabilitation centres.
Also, four persons received GH₵18,000 to cater for their medical treatment and healthcare needs, with the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations being presented with a cheque for GH₵12,000 to support the group’s organisation development activities and their advocacy activities in the municipality.
Additionally, nine deep freezers, eight ice-chests, a polytank for water storage, a laptop and a wheelchair were presented to the federation for onward presentation to beneficiaries.
At a short ceremony to donate, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality, Wisdom Osei Boamah, said the interventions were not merely acts of charity, but support for their economic empowerment and investment in human potential.
The MCE explained that the support was in accordance with the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Act, 1993, which was intended to reduce poverty among PWDs, especially those in the informal sector.
He said the support was thus intended to enable the beneficiaries to become active contributors to economic growth and social development, urging them to utilise the resources, skills and opportunities productively to improve their income and standards of living.
“Let the equipment and financial support you are receiving become instruments for creating sustainable livelihoods, improving your standard of living and inspiring hope within your communities,” Mr Osei Boamah stated.
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support, emphasising that expressing the confidence that it would help them to become economically productive, thereby preserving their sense of dignity.
