The Jomoro Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the office of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, has presented livelihood empowerment support items to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and start-up kits to artisans in the municipality.

The donation was done from their 5 per cent share of the District Assembly’s Common Fund.

The items they received were 16 double chest freezers, three fufu pounding machines, and a cheque of GHC2,000 to 49 persons bringing the total of beneficiaries to 68.

Madam Dorcas Afo-Toffey, MP for Jomoro, thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the upward adjustment in the disability fund from 5 per cent to 7 per cent, stating that it would help the Assembly to expand its coverage to enable more beneficiaries in the municipality to enjoy life-changing opportunities.

She said the move was a testament to the government’s commitment to the welfare of PWDs and artisans, and that they would not be left out in the scheme of national development.

Madam Afo-Toffey advised the beneficiaries to see the donation as life-changing opportunities and put the items to good use.

Mr Benedict Boadi, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jomoro, said the number of beneficiaries for this year had increased from 50 last year to 68 due to the upward adjustment of the disability fund by President John Dramani Mahama.

He cautioned the beneficiaries to refrain from selling the items but used them as start-up kits for their own businesses to improve their living conditions.

Mr Boadi said the donation would rotate and assured all PWDs that the Assembly would move round to register all of them to be covered in the next three years.

Madam Doris Dzifa, Jomoro Municipal Director at the Department of Social Welfare, said every PWD would have access to economic empowerment and long term development opportunities.

She said the Assembly remained committed to initiatives which truly transformed lives, supported income-generating activities, education assistance, mobility and healthcare needs, and other social interventions that would help the PWDs to fit into society.

“To promote inclusion, everyone must create an avenue where persons living with disabilities are respected, valued, and provided with equal opportunities,” she added.

Madam Dzifa appealed to beneficiaries to make good use of the support as a stepping stone towards greater economic independence, stability, and personal growth.

Mr Emmanuel Ofori, a beneficiary, thanked the Assembly and the MP for the gesture, and appealed to the government for more clutches and wheel chairs to support their mobility.