Ga East supports PWDs

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Mrs Janet Tulasi Mensah, has asked the public not to stigmatise or discriminate against Persons With Disability (PWDs).

“I appeal to the citizenry to accept and care for our brothers and sisters who are physically challenged and co-exist as one people. Let us eschew stigmatisation and discrimination against them to enable them to enjoy life as we do,” she said.

She was speaking at a ceremony to present working tools at the cost of GH¢51,000 to some PWDs in Accra last Thursday.

She noted that they would continue to support PWDs through the Social Welfare Department and engage them to ensure that their needs were met.

Mrs Mensah, however, noted that there were no PWDs within the municipality seen begging, attributing it to the willingness of PWDs in the municipality to work together, thus forming an association where they shared ideas and supported one another.

The MCE further explained that the assembly would not relent on its efforts to economically empower PWDs, saying they would continue to provide working tools to PWDs.

Items

A total of 31 beneficiaries were provided with start-up equipment ranging from deep freezers, shoemaking machine, coloured A3 printer and coloured photocopier.

The other items included shoemaking machine kit, baking oven, Polytank, materials to design and build speakers, containers for provisions and recharge cards.

Presentation

In a brief remark at the ceremony, Mrs Mensah said the presentation was the second of presentations done this year to provide support, including educational and medical support, to PWDs.

She explained that out of the 31 beneficiaries, four would be granted educational support while three would also receive monies for their medical bills.

She added that 24 persons had been supported with working tools to start their own businesses and generate income for themselves.

“The support, among other things, includes the payment of school and medical expenses and also support them in generating income,” she noted.

Beneficiaries

Mrs Mensah asked the beneficiaries to take care of the items and use them to generate income for their well-being.

“A monitoring team will be conducting routine visits to the beneficiaries to ensure that the funds are being utilised for their intended purpose,” she noted.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Charles Opoku, who was presented with a Polytank, expressed appreciation for the item, promising to put it to good use in order to generate income to take care of himself and his family.

Another beneficiary, Ms Lydia Mensah, who was also presented with recharge cards, thanked the assembly, saying the cards would serve as her start-up to expand her bead-making business.