The DCE for Upper Manya Krobo District, Mr Felix Nartey Odjao, presenting an industrial sewing machine to Ms Catherine Amewu

Government has PWDs at heart — Upper Manya DCE

Ezekiel E. Sottie Politics Apr - 11 - 2019 , 07:40

The District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, Mr Felix Nartey Odjao, has stated that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the physically challenged at heart and would do everything possible to ensure that they earned a decent living.

He said when Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) were well equipped and supported, it would help them fend for themselves, their dependants and other relations, adding that that was part of job creation.

Empowerment of PWDs

The Upper Manya Krobo DCE made the statement at the presentation of first quarter of supportive items to 74 PWDs at Asesewa, the district capital, last Monday.

Thirty-three of the beneficiaries were presented with deep freezers with ice chests, 11 opted for industrial sewing machines, six persons requested for goats as part of Rearing for Food and Jobs, eight people received cash support for petty trading, nine had educational support, whilst the remaining seven PWDs requested for medical support, which all amounted to GH¢100,238.

Mr Odjao noted that the whole idea was to equip PWDs in the field of economic ventures such as vocation and apprenticeship, educational support, medical and assertive support and support in other fields for them to be economically independent.

The DCE said the President and his team had undertaken unprecedented steps in providing for the empowerment of PWDs, adding that the government believed and had confidence in every citizen in contributing to the development of their various communities and the entire nation at large.

“The government wants every citizen to be part of the development agenda and not spectators,” he said.

He said the government would continue to do everything possible to improve the lives of citizens, especially women, children, PWDs and the vulnerable.

Mr Odjao said in 2018, the three per cent of the District Assembly Common Fund allocation to the district was able to support 481 PWDs in various areas in the district, and monitoring results from the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development showed that the beneficiaries in the district were doing well in their various endeavours.

Monitoring

The District Coordinating Director for the assembly, Mr Aaron Otoo, urged the leadership of PWDs to ensure that the items and the cash presented were used for the intended purposes as a team from the assembly would frequently monitor the performance of beneficiaries.

The Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Eric Tettey, said the items the government provided were a lifetime investment which would earn them unending income — a bit more sustainable — and urged the PWDs not to disappoint the government’s intended purpose but to use them profitably so as to urge the government to continue with the programme.

The Chairman of the Upper Manya Krobo District PWDs, Mr Eric Kwame, on behalf of the group thanked the government and the Upper Manya Krobo Assembly for what he described as unprecedented support, and pledged that the leadership of the PWDs would assist the assembly to monitor the beneficiaries.