The Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) in the Greater Accra Region has presented various items to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), in the municipality as a start-up pack for their businesses.
The items included Fufu pounding machines, wheel barrows and shovels, industrial, hand sewing machines and cash.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Ms Sandra Owusu–Ahenkorah, handing over the items urged the beneficiaries to put the resources to good use in order to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country.
According to her, the assembly would no longer give out cash to PWDs but rather provide start-up kits to serve as a revolving fund to grow their businesses.
The MCE explained that the items were procured according to their requests and urged them to see it as part of the government’s effort to help them live dignified lives and become self sufficient instead of depending on relatives and philanthropists.
“You have a huge potential which when developed could enable you become independent and contribute to national development like many others,” she added.
Ms Owusu-Ahenkorah stated that the gesture like other social interventions was meant to assist them put their skills and resources in use by helping them generate incomes for themselves and their families.
“That is why majority of the disbursement has been channeled into the procurement of machines and tools for those with skills or intended to go into skill acquisition to become self-sufficient in life,” she added.
The MCE indicated that a monitoring team would periodically visit their businesses to inspect their books and warned that anyone who misappropriate their allocation would be blacklisted.
Ms Owusu-Ahenkorah, urged the PWD’s to guard against the ravages of COVID-19 pandemic and observe the protocols in order to be safe.
“The pandemic is real, that is why I am appealing to you to observe the protocolsby constantly washing the hands, use of hand sanitisers, wearing of the nose masks and staying at home when have nothing doing in town.”
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA AKPALU
