The Wa West District Assembly has disbursed an amount of GH¢236,000 alongside 10 wheelchairs to persons with disabilities (PWDs) to promote economic independence and improve their daily mobility.

The latest disbursement, which marks the third of its kind this year, benefited 62 individuals, while the wheelchairs, valued at nearly GH¢68,000, were handed over to those with pressing mobility challenges.

Addressing the gathering at Wechiau, District Chief Executive Richard Wullo cautioned the beneficiaries against using the financial support for immediate consumption.

He stressed that the government's intervention is meant to fight poverty, restore dignity, and empower vulnerable populations.

"The financial support and items you have received are not gifts for consumption but investments in your potential," Wullo stated. "Take good care of the equipment. Let them become the seed of your economic freedom."

He further disclosed that out of the GH¢915,949 allocated to the district by the central government for the 2025 fiscal year, GH¢654,564 has already been distributed to 227 beneficiaries, bringing the total number of individuals supported across the district this year to 356.

The Assembly has also assured the public that its disability fund management committee will closely monitor how the funds are utilised to prevent favouritism and ensure strictly genuine applications.

Chairperson for the Ghana Federation for Disability in Wechiau, Jungmere Saavurooma Charles, lauded the assembly and the social welfare department for their transparent vetting process. He issued a stern warning to members to strictly utilize the funds for their approved business plans, whether for purchasing educational braille materials or investing in agriculture.

To ensure absolute compliance, Saavurooma Charles announced that his outfit will conduct unannounced field visits to monitor the beneficiaries. While expressing gratitude to the central government, he also appealed to the president to continuously increase the Common Fund allocation to cover more vulnerable persons.

For the beneficiaries, the intervention serves as a major economic and physical lifeline. Adams Halidu, a teacher and farmer from Guritie, revealed his plans to channel his cashed cheque directly into animal rearing and crop farming. He praised the timely release of the funds and the reported upward adjustment of the disability share of the Common Fund to five per cent.

Another beneficiary, Woonibe Balta, a local trader, expressed her immense relief in her native dialect. Having struggled with walking sticks for years, she explained that the new wheelchair will drastically transform her life, allowing her to independently navigate the local market for her trade and easily visit the hospital whenever she falls ill.