Sixty-six persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) have received cash and livelihood support items valued at approximately GH¢353,110 to establish or expand their businesses.
Fifty of the beneficiaries, comprising 25 males and 25 females, received cash ranging from GH¢2,000 to GH¢6,000 each, totalling GH¢227,347, as start-up capital for their chosen businesses.
The remaining 16 beneficiaries, also made up of eight males and eight females, received equipment valued at GH¢125,760.
The items included freezers, laptops, refrigerators, overlocking machines, knitting machines, ovens and an electronic motor.
The support was provided from the five per cent allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for PWDs, which is intended to enable them to establish businesses, become economically independent and support their families.
Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for LaDMA, Mr Alfred Nii Anyetei, said the Assembly was committed to ensuring that no PWD was left out of development initiatives in the municipality.
He said the Assembly had put systems in place to identify eligible beneficiaries and ensure that the funds and items were distributed fairly and transparently.
Mr Anyetei said the Assembly would periodically monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that the support was used for its intended purpose.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for La Dade-Kotopon and Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ms Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, said the increase in the PWD allocation from three to five per cent would enable the assemblies to support more beneficiaries.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the assistance judiciously and said the government was closely monitoring the disbursement process to ensure that only eligible persons within the respective assemblies benefited.
The Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, Mrs Polina Mensah, said the department conducted needs assessments to verify applicants’ residence and determine whether the requested support would be beneficial to them, taking their conditions into consideration.
Two beneficiaries, Mr Eric Ntow Opare, a fashion designer, and Ms Matilda Anyetei, a businesswoman, expressed appreciation to the Assembly for the support.
They said the assistance would enable them to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
BY VICTOR A. BUXTON
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