The Social Welfare Department of the Shama district assembly on behalf of the government fulfilled the promise of improving on the lives of PWDs to enable them to become part of the mainstream society as stated in the Disability Act of 2006(Act 715).

Items made up of sewing machines , corn mills,  fufu mills, vegetable mills, laptop, refrigerators,  plastic chairs  and cash were presented to the PWDs.

Addressing the beneficiaries, Mr Joseph Amoah, District Chief Executive of Shama district assembly, said the government realised that the disability fund which was initially two per cent of the district assembly common fund benefitted only by a small percentage of disabled persons and therefore   directed the district assemblies to compile a fresh register of all persons with disability so as to empower them to become assets.

Mr Amoah said the Shama district assembly has so far registered 780 Persons with Disabilities and still counting and that out of the number 150 have benefitted from the fund in various ways.

According to him, four  of the beneficiaries were  given money for medical treatment, 48 received bursaries to pay their school fees, while the remaining 108 were provided with items and cash awards ranging from GH¢1,500 to GH¢ 3000 to explore economic ventures to improve their livelihood.

He explained that 88 PWDs benefitted from the first consignment last year and 62 persons were receiving theirs this year, adding that  an amount of GH¢ 23,680 was disbursed constituting two per cent of the district assembly common fund.

Mr Amoah explained that PWDs  were asked to apply for the support programme and as such the items were a response in that direction,  stressing that the process was a genuine one, where PWDs came forward with  their concerns being specific with the needs they wanted addressed.

He however cautioned them  to handle whatever they had received  with care as reports indicated that some earlier beneficiaries sold off their items and were now relying on others for sustenance.

Mr Amoah pledged that the programme would continue until each one of the PWDs were empowered in one way or the other.

He stated that PWDs were not less human and so must be treated with respect and love, "Disability is not inability", rather such persons are special in their own way,  he remarked.

Mr Amoah charged the Social Welfare Department to put in place monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that the purpose for which the government set aside the fund achieved the needed impact in the district and put in place remedial measures where there were shortfalls.

The beneficiaries thanked the government and Assembly for "remembering them and not making them feel left out. "