The Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Madam Joyce Akosua Angmorteh, has announced plans to operationalise the Obuasi Disability Centre and enhance its activities through structured skills-training programmes for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs).
According to her, there will be an attached desk officer from the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) to the Disability Centre to coordinate skills development and entrepreneurship training. The objective, she explained, will equip PWDs with sustainable, income-generating skills to improve their standard of living and promote economic independence.
Madam Angmorteh announced this at the World Disability Day in the Obuasi Municipality.
Representing the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Faustilov Appiah Kannin, she stated the Assembly’s commitment to the welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
She further disclosed that beneficiaries who complete the skills training programme will be supported with start-up kits and seed capital to enable them to establish and sustain their own ventures.
On the management of the Disability Common Fund, the MCD assured the disability community of transparency and accountability.
She stated that the Assembly disbursed GH¢150,000.00 to support PWDs through the provision of livelihood items, payment of school fees, and settlement of medical bills in the previous year.
“Going forward, the Assembly will deploy a more robust and sustainable system to ensure that funds allocated to persons with disabilities are used efficiently to meet their real needs,” she added.
The Chairman of the Obuasi Branch of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), Mr Karim Iddrisu, called for the establishment of a disability-focused educational facility in the Municipality and expressed concern over the lack of disability-friendly infrastructure in public spaces.
He further urged both public and private institutions to create employment opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to society.
Adding his voice to the call for inclusion, the Ashanti Sub-Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Lawyer Samuel Asante-Yeboah, reminded participants that Ghana’s laws protect the rights of PWDs. He assured them of CHRAJ’s readiness to provide legal support and representation when necessary.
The event was attended by members of the disability community, officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, the Information Services Department (ISD) and other stakeholders.
Ernest Kofi Offen, ISD/Obuasi
