Mr. Elijah Adansi-Bonah, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Obuasi, has heaped praises on Persons Living with Disability (PWDs) who had benefited from the Assembly’s share of the Disability Fund for the productive use of the items given them.
Some of the beneficiaries waiting for their items
Speaking at a short ceremony to handover the items to some of the beneficiaries in Obuasi, the MCE indicated that reports from the Monitoring Team assigned by the Assembly to assess how the items were being used by the beneficiaries, pointed to the fact that most of them were put into productive use by the PWDs.
About 44 Persons with Disability were supported at the event, while 33 of them were given items to boost their businesses, with six others getting educational support, and four getting medical support at a total cost of GH¢115, 047.
The MCE expressed his profound gratitude to the beneficiaries for making good use of the items, and disclosed that the Assembly’s Assessors had given management positive feedback regarding how items had been put into productive use.
According to him, he was overwhelmed, because it was rare to see PWDs begging on the streets in the Municipality.
The PWD Act, 2006 (Act 715) set up the Disability Fund which requires that two per cent of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) be set aside for PWDs to minimise poverty among members and enhance their social image through dignified livelihoods.
Mr. Bonah stated that, the Obuasi Municipal Assembly had been proactive in disbursing the fund immediately it hit the accounts as a strategy to cushion PWDs in the Municipality to have an improved standard of living.
He said the Assembly would continue to create a congenial environment for businesses, including those owned by PWDs, to thrive in the Municipality.
The MCE stressed that, the Assembly is considering the possibility of giving tax relief to PWDs who are into businesses to enable them thrive in the competitive business space.
Mr. Karim Idrisu, Secretary of the Obuasi chapter of the Ghana Federation of Disables, appealed to the Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, considers giving tax waiver a reality to the members who are into businesses.
He was of the view that exemption from paying rates and taxes in the next fee fixing resolution, would help them to compete favorably in the business environment.
Mr. Karim disclosed that, their members are struggling to compete in the highly competitive business space because Disability comes with a cost in the face of high cost of doing business.
He commended the Assembly for always releasing the fund timely and implored beneficiaries to always put the items into productive use.
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