Alhaji Umar Baba Bodinga (left), Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North, presenting polythene bags to Mariama Gariba, one of the beneficiaries

Abuakwa North Assembly supports PWDs with start-up items

Haruna Yussif Wunpini Jan - 09 - 2024 , 08:48

The Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region last Friday presented start-up items to 20 persons with disability (PWDs) to operate their own businesses.

The items included deep freezers, sewing machines, groceries, assorted soft drinks and polythene bags for the distribution of charcoal, among others.

The PWDs were drawn from various communities within the municipality and the items given were of their own choice, depending on the nature of the businesses that they would be involved in.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, Alhaji Umar Baba Bodinga, who presented the items, said the assembly had since 2019 provided similar items to PWDs to operate their own businesses.

That, he explained, would enable them to generate income to cater for themselves and their dependants instead of soliciting for alms.

He said it was, when Ghana was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and its ripple effect on businesses that the assembly could not give out such items to the PWDs.

Alhaji Bodinga indicated that about 245 out of 700 PWDs registered with the assembly benefited from the three per cent of the disability fund in the area of health, education and businesses.

Good use

He pointed out that the assembly had put in place measures to effectively monitor the activities of PWDs to ensure that they put the items to good use to serve their intended purpose.

Alhaji Bodinga urged those who had not yet benefited from the package to join the PWDs association in the area to also benefit from the scheme.

The MCE used the occasion to advise all the beneficiaries, as well as other Ghanaians to support the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in next year's general election to enable the party to continue to provide such assistance.

The Abuakwa North Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Mercy Amusah, cautioned the beneficiaries against selling the items or using them to beautify their rooms.

Ms Amusah warned the beneficiaries that her outfit would not take it kindly with PWDs who misused the items.