Oti: Mr Emmanuel Donkor, President of the Oti Regional Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), has called for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the government's Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative to enable them to benefit from the economic opportunities associated with poultry production.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Donkor stated that deliberate measures were needed to ensure PWDs were not left out of major government agricultural and livelihood interventions aimed at creating jobs, improving household incomes, and strengthening food security. He emphasized the capacity of PWDs to engage in poultry farming and other agricultural activities when provided with necessary support, such as start-up inputs, technical training, and accessible extension services.
Mr Donkor highlighted that many PWDs in the Oti Region were interested in agriculture and other income-generating activities but often faced challenges like inadequate capital, limited access to productive resources, and difficulties in accessing government support programmes. He urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other implementing agencies to adopt an inclusive approach in selecting and training beneficiaries under the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme.
He stressed that including PWDs would not only promote social equity but also contribute to the broader objective of reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups. He remarked, 'PWDs should not only be seen as beneficiaries of social protection programmes. We have people with disabilities who have the skills, determination, and capacity to run viable businesses if they are given the opportunity and the needed support.'
Mr Donkor appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities, and agricultural extension officers to collaborate with disability organisations to identify interested PWDs and support their participation in the initiative. He called for accessible training facilities and information on government agricultural programmes to ensure PWDs, particularly those in rural communities, could fully understand and take advantage of available opportunities.
He affirmed the GFD's readiness to collaborate with government and development partners to facilitate PWDs' participation in agricultural programmes and ensure support reaches the intended beneficiaries. Mr Donkor concluded by urging the government to make disability inclusion a key component of all agricultural and economic empowerment programmes to ensure the national development agenda leaves no one behind.