The Obuasi East District Assembly has distributed items worth GH¢103,637.00 to 49 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) to support their business operations.       

The items were procured from the District’s share of the Disability Fund, which is dedicated to providing financial assistance to empower PWDs to undertake sustainable economic ventures.       

It is to make them financially independent and to improve their living conditions.     

The items included industrial sewing machines, cocoa spraying machines, deep freezers, knitting machines, hair dryers and accessories, steel containers for shops, assorted provisions, laptops, and wheel chairs.     

Medical bills, apprenticeship, and school fees of some of the PWDs were also paid at the ceremony.   

The beneficiaries were made up of people with physical challenges, hearing and speech impaired, visually impaired, intellectually challenged and those with multiple disabilities.     

Also, 20 white canes were presented to the district branch of the Ghana Blind Union for distribution to its members.     

Mrs Faustina Amissah, the District Chief Executive, said the beneficiaries were selected based on the approved criteria and guidelines of the Department of Social Welfare.     

The DCE urged the beneficiaries to take proper care of the items and invest them into productive ventures to help uplift their standards of living and welfare.   

She said the Department of Social Welfare would conduct regular monitoring to ensure that the beneficiaries used the items for the purposes for which they were granted.     

Mr Emmanuel Ntoso, District Coordinating Director, advised the beneficiaries not to sell the items, but to use them to enhance their businesses and living standard.   

Mr Godwin Bansah, District Director of the Department of Social Welfare, thanked the Assembly for the support and urged those who were on the waiting list to be patient since they would have their share soon.     

Mr Kwame Ankrah, the Obuasi East Chairman of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD), on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended the Assembly and government for the continuous support.     

The Obuasi East District Assembly has since its establishment in 2018, provided various forms of support to over 120 PWDs.