Bongo Assembly District supports PWDs

The Bongo District Assembly has disbursed an amount of GH¢ 111,045.00 from its District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to 100 vulnerable persons living with various forms of disabilities.

The disbursement was done according to the needs of each individual and their capacity to manage the funds, with the highest beneficiary receiving GH¢4,000.00 while the lowest got GH¢460.00, to enable them undertake productive economic and income generating activities.

Mr Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, said the beneficiaries were carefully selected out of over 300 applicants.

The DCE, who is also the 2020 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate for the area, said in this past July, an amount of GH¢82,000.00 was disbursed to 71 beneficiaries but the current disbursement was the biggest amount the Assembly has ever disbursed to PWDs.

Mr Ayamga urged the beneficiaries to use the money as stated in their requests during the assessment processes, which was done by the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, the Fund Management Committee and the Business Advisory Centre.

“Our emphasis is on the establishment and expansion of small scale businesses for obvious reasons. The negative perception about persons with disabilities as persons without any ability has for a long time been disproved,” he said.

He said any beneficiary who misused his or her share of the fund would not have the opportunity to benefit again from subsequent disbursement.

The DCE said the PWDs resource centre which was being financed by GetFund was at an advanced stage of completion and would be completed in good time and handed over for use.

He said, “The project, when completed will provide an environment for skills development to PWDs who require skills to either establish their own businesses or provide services to other establishments”.

Mr Clement Mba, the Bongo Chapter President of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD), on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended the Assembly and government for the support given them over the years and pledged to use the money according to its stated purpose.

He said due to the increment of the disability fund from two per cent to three per cent, more persons are benefitting and urged his colleagues to apply the funds as directed to boost their businesses and become self-reliant.