"Acquiring appliances for PWD's to start trade is a good initiative' - Hon. Osei Assibey Bonsu assures at Disability Durbar
GH₵35,892.21 and GH₵45,719.45 was the amount received for the welfare of the PWD's in the third and fourth quarter of 2018.
soireenews 
The Kwabre East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Osei Assibey Bonsu has disclosed that the commitment of the Assembly to equip people with disabilities (PWD) with trade appliances was accepted when the government realized that funds supplied to beneficiaries were misused setting them off to the streets to continue begging.
The MCE explained that the New Patriotic Party’s government in discovering a solution to move people with disabilities from the streets chose to provide them with possessions that could generate income for their welfare.
“Disability does not make one unable to make impact in the society. Although they are sometimes limited at certain areas, yet acquiring an appliance like deep freezer for them to start trade is a good initiative,” he said.
Hon. Osei Assibey Bonsu spoke at the Kwabre East Municipal Assembly Disability Durbar held on December 30, 2019 at the fore court of the Assembly. The program was aimed at how the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA’s) other public institutions could make disability issues an integral part of their planning, budgeting and implementing of programmes.
Items like deep freezers, popcorn machines, industrial sewing machines, water pump machines, gas cylinders, fufu pounding machine and many others were distributed. Overall, 80 PWD’s benefitted from the resourcefulness of the Assembly.
The MCE revealed that the initiative to desist from providing cash to PWDs to start a trade was introduced by the sitting president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo due to guardians’ dishonesty towards the incapacitated, which normally results in the squandering of funds.
He spoke that the approach to give out electrical and other appliances to assist them to start a trade has been transforming among the PWD’s in the Municipal in such a short period.
“The president since he assumed office put together all these to help self-sustain the incapacitated in order to quit begging on streets.
“This is the third time we are embarking on these donations; in June and December 2018 of last year, we gave a few things out. Although we have not been able to revive it this year, yet we thought it appropriate make it at the end of the year after accountability.
“We want to put an end to people who sit along the streets and beg," he added.
GH₵35,892.21 and GH₵45,719.45 according to the MCE was the amount received for the welfare of the PWD in the third and fourth quarter of 2018. In 2019, GH₵30,917.89 was collected for the first quarter whiles GH₵30,917.89 represented the second. GH₵143,447.44 was the sum of the amount.
The total amount of money given out to the People with Disabilities in the Kwabre East was GH₵96,102.48. It’s allocation included GH₵3,260 for Medical bills, GH₵10,079 was billed as scholarship for 27 people in the District whiles GH₵20,000 were apportioned as business support to 20 people. The total amount of appliances presented to 32 persons was GH₵54,105 plus monies for transport.
He further divulged that a committee has been set up to monitor the progress of the trade of the current and former beneficiaries.
“The items are not given for sale or for domestic use. It is given purposely for trade to empower them financially in order not to become a liability for the country. Whoever is not making good use of the asset will have to explain why it is so.
"In addition, to those who are yet to receive theirs, the team will come, inspect your shops, and know your plan towards receiving it. This is all possible thanks to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” he added.
