The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly (LeKMA) in the Greater Accra Region presented assorted items and cash worth GH¢87,679 to Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in the municipality to support their businesses, education and health care.
Out of 31 PWDs who benefited from this kind gesture, 25 received cash, two received industrial sewing machines, two also received Deep Freezers, one received hand sewing machine and the other got a container.
Disbursing the items, the Chairman of Disability Fund Management Committee, Mr Emmanuel Saint Kabu, said the Disability Fund was three per cent of the District Assembly’s Common Fund allocated purposely for PWDs.
He noted that, the fund was to support these underprivileged persons within the society in education, health, business, skills training and assistive devices to help them live healthier and purposefully.
He stated that the fund was meant for all PWDs in the assembly except those who were gainfully employed or above 60-years-old.
Mr Kabu stated that 76 PWDs were qualified to benefit, however, they could not cater for all of them due to inadequate funds released.
“The releases are not adequate and timely to support all applicants at the same time considering the large number of PWDs within Ledzokuku. As at now, there are 76 PWDs who qualified to benefit but the available funds cannot take care of them at a go,” he noted.
This, he suggested the PWDs would be served in batches as at the time the fund was released.
“It is our desire that the government will release funds very early and often to serve the remaining 45 as early as possible,” he requested.
The Municipal Coordinating Director of Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, Mr John Tsikor, presenting the items said the assembly was glad to give a helping hand to these underprivileged people to aid them in various ways.
He noted that it was the responsibility of all assemblies to provide some support systems to PWDs in their areas in order to provide the necessary support to them to lessen burden on their families.
Mr Tsikor urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the money and items provided to them so they could receive more when the opportunity arises.
The beneficiaries commended the assembly for the support and promised to use the items in a beneficial way.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA
