As part of the Government of Ghana’s commitment to promoting social inclusion and economic empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, through the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development and in consultation with the Disability Fund Management Committee, facilitated the disbursement of various livelihood support items to selected beneficiaries. This initiative was funded under the three percent (3%) District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocation for PWDs.
The main objective of the disbursement was to provide tools and equipment to enhance the income-generating capacity of PWDs, and to promote self-reliance and dignity among them.
The following items were distributed to the beneficiaries based on their occupational needs and business interests:
Chest freezers
Roofing sheets
Fufu pounding machines
Sewing machines
Industrial spraying machines
Laptops
Hair dryers
Hand dryers
A total of Forty-five (45) PWDs benefited from the disbursement exercise, including men and women as well as children to engaged in trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, agro-processing, ICT services, and retail business. Beneficiaries were drawn from various communities within the the Twenty-five Electoral Areas within the Nzema East Municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) commended the beneficiaries for their resilience and encouraged them to put the items to productive use. The Member of Parliament for the Evalue Ajomoro Gwira Constituency also the need for collective responsibility, stating that current beneficiaries will not be considered in the subsequent disbursements until every benefit from he fund, the cycle can start again.The Head of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development emphasized the importance of proper maintenance and follow-up monitoring to ensure sustainability of the support.
The disbursement exercise was successfully conducted and received positive feedback from the beneficiaries. It is expected that the items will contribute significantly to improving the livelihoods of PWDs within the municipality, in line with government’s social protection objectives.
