THE ASOKWA Municipal Assembly has provided assistance in the form of cash and other items such as refrigerators, shoe making machines as well as welding equipment to Eighteen (18) persons with disabilities (PWDs).

At a brief ceremony at the Municipal Offices of the  Asokwa Assembly, Chief Akwannuasah Gyimah, Municipal Chief Executive Officer  (MCE) charged the beneficiaries to use the items as well as the monies for the intended purposes.

He urged the PWDs not to misuse the support the Akufo -Addo government through the Assembly has provided and go back to beg along the streets.

“I urge you to use the items and monies for their intended purposes so that when you are successful the Government through the Assembly would be encouraged to do more for your colleagues who would are also in need”, the MCE stated.

Beneficiaries:

Speaking to the media, 41 year old Faustina Afriyie said she had received a bale of second hand clothing and thanked the Municipal Assembly for the gesture.

“Previously i was taking the second hand clothing from a supplier on credit and returned her money after selling the bale i collected but by getting this whole bale for free from the Assembly i will now sell them and use the money i will get as seed to continue in business and save my profit”, Madam Afriyie noted.

Felix K Nuako, an auto electrician who received 5 plates and some rods for his work thanked the Assembly for the gesture, adding the assistance would help him cater for the son who was in school.

“I was struggling to take care of my child by name Richard Acheampong in school and so i requested for assistance and i am glad Asokwa has responded to me with this gesture but i wished that i had about GHC10, 000 cedis support so i could buy more splates and rods and expand my business”, Mr Nuako stated.

Municipal Director of Social Welfare:

Explaining the criteria for the selection of beneficiaries for the support, the Social Welfare and Community Development Director, Dickson Frimpong said the Assembly deals with PWDs who are registered with their Association.

He noted that the businesses as well as business certificates of these PWDs are inspected and based on their proposal for assistance the Department works with the Assembly to supply them with same.

Mr Frimpong disclosed that monies used to buy the items as well as the start up capital presented to some of the PWDs is from the 3% of the statutory common fund disbursed to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across Ghana.

“We pray to able to disburse more of government’s assistance to PWDs as and when the monies are released so that we can keep people from using their disabilities to carry out a begging entreprise”, the Director stated.

Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, 

Kumasi.