The Physically Challenged Action Foundation (PCAF) at Offinso has within the past 23 years assisted 900 disabled persons to acquire employable skills and set them up in businesses. They are into dress and shoe-making, leather works and welding. The last batch of 23 trainees graduated at a ceremony held at Maase in the Offinso Municipality on Tuesday. Apart from giving them working tools and equipments, each trainee also received GH¢500.00 as startup capital. Mr Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, appealed to district assemblies to ensure strict compliance with the directive by the government to cede two per cent of the Common Fund to people with disability in their areas. He described as unacceptable reports that some of the assemblies are disregarding the directive and was hopeful that this would be "respected sooner than later." Mr Sekyere repeated the determination of the Mills Administration to put in place policy measures and programmes to enhance the socio-economic integration and empowerment of the disabled. The Deputy Minister said under the new National Social Protection Strategy, persons with severe disabilities and without any productive capacity would be assisted with monthly stipends to meet their basic needs. Mr Sylvester Barimah Antwi, Director of the PCAF, said they now have a well equipped physiotherapy centre at their Maase Training Centre providing free services not only to the disabled but the general public. Their goal is to make sure that those who require orthopaedic surgery could receive this service at the Centre. He appealed to the Government to provide the Centre with a bus through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). Source: GNA