Techiman (BE/R)-Ghana Nov. 04, GNA – Persons Living with Disabilities (PLwDs) have been urged to report abuses to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service to protect and promote their welfare at the household and societal levels.
Mrs Monica Onyen, the Bono East Regional Director of Department of Gender gave the advice when she was speaking at a presentation ceremony of items to PLwDs in the Techiman Municipality and its environs by the Techiman South Municipal Assembly at Techiman in the region.
The items distributed included Deep freezers, Fufu pounding machines and other working tools procured with amount of Gh¢116,000.00 by the Assembly from the Disabilities’ share of the Assemblies’ Common Fund to 63 PLwDs.
Some of the beneficiaries including, students and those suffering from poor health conditions received unspecified amount of money whilst those engaged in skillful trades such as carpentry, dress and shoe making were given tools.
Mrs Onyen observed PLwDs were more vulnerable at the household level and therefore needed to be protected by the law, noting that both males and females could all be as risk of domestic violence.
She stated PLwDs also played crucial roles in contributing towards the socio-economic development of the country and therefore called for unflinching support from stakeholders including philanthropists and non-governmental organisations to compliment government’s efforts in improving their welfare.
Accordingly, Mrs Onyen stressed the need for individuals and families to report unlawful conduct towards PLwDs to create a clear picture for government and other stakeholders to know their ordeals to enforce laws to end the menace.
Professor Kingsley Amankwah, a member of the Federation of PLwDs in Techiman commended government for its efforts in socio-economically empowering them through the Assemblies and assured their commitment to using the support to improve their livelihoods.
Prof. Amankwah expressed worry that some beneficiaries did not utilise the support, either in cash or kind for their intended purposes and appealed to government to institute an auditing scheme that would audit beneficiaries in that regard.
