The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie Central, Hon. Emmanuel Obeng Agyemang, has called for greater economic empowerment of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) as a sustainable way of improving their livelihoods and reducing their dependence on others.
According to him, providing PWDs with the necessary financial resources, tools and equipment to establish and expand businesses remains critical to promoting their independence, dignity and meaningful participation in society.
He made the call when the Amansie Central District Assembly disbursed the second-quarter allocation of the Persons With Disability Common Fund to 49 beneficiaries at the Assembly forecourt.
The support, which amounted to a total of GH¢216,400, was distributed among beneficiaries under various categories, including economic empowerment, medical assistance, educational support and the provision of tools and equipment.
The initiative forms part of efforts by the government and the District Assembly to provide social and economic support to PWDs and enable them to become self-reliant rather than resorting to street begging as a means of survival.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Obeng Agyemang, popularly known as Pedro, said the Assembly had placed particular emphasis on economic empowerment because of its potential to create sustainable sources of income for beneficiaries.
He explained that the objective was not merely to provide temporary relief but to equip PWDs with the means to establish viable economic activities that could improve their living conditions and enable them to contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.
“Economic empowerment is the needed support for persons with disabilities,” the DCE stressed, adding that the government’s initiative was aimed at reducing the difficulties faced by PWDs and ultimately addressing the phenomenon of street begging.
Breakdown of support
Under the second-quarter disbursement, the Assembly allocated GH¢55,000 to beneficiaries as economic empowerment support to assist them in establishing or strengthening businesses.
An additional GH¢118,400 was spent on tools and equipment, while GH¢15,000 was allocated for medical support and GH¢28,000 for educational assistance.
The tools and equipment distributed included refrigerators, industrial sewing machines, fufu pounding machines and cocoa spraying machines, popularly known as Motoblow.
The items were carefully selected to enable beneficiaries to engage in productive ventures according to their individual skills, needs and areas of economic interest.
Some beneficiaries also received support for market activities, payment of hospital bills and educational needs, while others were assisted with artificial limbs to enhance their mobility and independence.
Hon. Obeng Agyemang said the Assembly would continue to collaborate with the Department of Social Welfare and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that PWDs within the district received the necessary assistance to improve their livelihoods.
Make good use of support
The DCE urged the beneficiaries to make prudent use of the money, tools and equipment provided to them, stressing that the sustainability of the programme depended largely on beneficiaries using the support for the intended purposes.
He encouraged them to see the assistance as an opportunity to build sustainable livelihoods rather than as a one-time benefit.
Hon. Obeng Agyemang further appealed to other PWDs in the district who had not yet registered with the Department of Social Welfare to do so.
He explained that proper registration would enable the Assembly to identify eligible PWDs and facilitate their participation in future interventions under the Common Fund.
The DCE assured the beneficiaries that the Assembly remained committed to supporting vulnerable persons and creating opportunities for them to improve their socio-economic circumstances.
The beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude to the government and the Amansie Central District Assembly for the intervention.
They said the support would provide them with opportunities to start or expand their businesses, meet their educational and medical needs, and improve their general living conditions.
Some of them said the provision of equipment such as sewing machines, refrigerators, fufu pounding machines and cocoa spraying machines would enable them to generate regular income and become less dependent on relatives and other members of society.
They appealed for the continuation and expansion of such programmes to cover more PWDs within the district.
The disbursement forms part of the broader social protection efforts aimed at ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the country’s development process.
CUE IN: DCE, Hon. Emmanuel Obeng Agyemang, Amansie Central District.
