A total amount of GHC 73,480 from the Disability Fund of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Common Fund has been disbursed to 11 vulnerable persons living with various forms of disability.

The disbursement which saw the captain of the Paralympic team that won world trophy for Ghana and the Regional President of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD) receiving a special HP laptop for the blind and other items, is to enable the Persons Living with Disability (PWDs) to undertake some productive economic and income-generating activities to improve upon their lives.

According to the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Kumasi, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, the beneficiaries were duly assessed and selected out of over100 applicants and each was to receive something based on their individual assessed needs and capacity to manage the funds.

The KMA Boss admonished all beneficiaries to put the items and funds in good use as was indicated during the assessment process by the Social Welfare and Community Development Department, the Fund Management Committee and other relevant stakeholders to help boost their livelihood as they enter into a new venture.

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He further cautioned beneficiaries who misuse the support and go back to the streets to beg for support to desist from that act since it goes a long way to tarnish the image of their association and Ghana as a whole because disability is not inability.

“We are now going to monitor your activities seriously this time around to track all your activities as you go home to make sure you become a boss of your own and even employ as your colleagues are making it in other parts of the world, he added.

Hon. Osei Assibey advised the students amongst them to endeavour to take their studies seriously to rise up on the educational ladder and rob shoulders with their other mates as they all enter into the job market because they all have equal playing field achieve that feat in education.

He underlined the need for the Assembly to invest in Persons with Disability and make adequate provision for their well being in order for them to also feel at home and give out their best as a people towards the development of the country.

Mrs Esther Nyarko, Metro Director of the Social Welfare and Community Development, indicated that measures have been undertaken not to give physical cash to beneficiaries anymore but rather equip them with the necessary logistics to set them up to have their own shops. This she said was revealed through their research that people misuse the funds and go back to the streets to beg for support.

She pleaded with the Assembly, NGOs and CSOs to all come to their aid to help identify all PWDs wherever they may find themselves to register them under their care to better their lots going forward.

“Now research has shown that mental disorder is also a form of disability as well as Albinism; and that the Albinos and Mentally challenged persons have all been now included in the list of Disabilities in Ghana and will be seen as such,” she hinted.