Kadjebi: Thirty Differently Abled Persons in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region have received livelihood support equipment from the Kadjebi District Assembly to enhance their economic independence and improve their standard of living.
According to Ghana News Agency, the items were procured from the Assembly's five per cent allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) dedicated to persons with disabilities, and included tools such as corn mills, fufu pounding machines, hair dryers, refrigerators, computers, and accessories.
Presenting the equipment to the beneficiaries at Kadjebi, Dr. Sam Issaka Suraj, the Kadjebi District Chief Executive (DCE), urged them to use the items for their intended purposes and refrain from selling them. He emphasized that these tools were not gifts of charity but rather means for achieving dignity and capital for independence. Dr. Suraj underscored the importance of maintaining the equipment to ensure their longevity and productivity, advising the beneficiaries to use them well and let them multiply their income.
The DCE further encouraged the beneficiaries to form or join cooperative groups, keep proper business records, and make prudent use of the equipment to expand their enterprises. He announced that the Assembly would conduct monitoring exercises within the next six months to evaluate the impact of the support and ensure productive use of the equipment. Dr. Suraj highlighted the Government's commitment to improving the welfare of persons with disabilities, noting the increase in the allocation of the Persons with Disabilities Fund under the DACF from three per cent to five per cent to enhance their socio-economic development.
Mr. Isaac Robson Klu, District Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in the Kadjebi District, stated that the equipment was carefully selected based on the beneficiaries' vocational skills and business interests. He urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the items and use them responsibly to improve their livelihoods. Mr. Klu also mentioned that officers from the Department would periodically monitor the beneficiaries to assess the utilization of the equipment and provide necessary technical guidance.
Madam Favour Mensah, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the Government and the District Assembly for the intervention. She pledged that the beneficiaries would make effective use of the equipment to become self-reliant, improve their incomes, and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of their communities.