NGO ASSISTS 64 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES (SEPT 19, PAGE 22)

A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation (NGO), the Voice of People with Disability in Ghana (VOICE) in partnership with the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) has donated school uniforms and other logistics to 64 children and youth with disabilities in the Volta Region at a ceremony in Ho.
The beneficiaries were drawn from some kindergartens, primary and junior high schools in five districts in the region. They included the Volta School for the Deaf at Hohoe and the Rehabilitation Training Centre at Ho.
The donation was made possible by the YMCA of Glasgow in Scotland which made available a grant of GH¢1,400 to purchase the school uniforms and the other logistics for the people with disabilities in schools and the rehabilitation centres.
The Director of VOICE, Mr Francis Asong, who made the presentation, said the gesture was a forerunner to the government’s future efforts providing uniforms to schoolchildren in the country.
“VOICE would like the government to ensure the equitable distribution of this national cake also benefits children with disabilities in schools and trainees of rehabilitation training centres in the country”, he appealed.
Mr Asong stated that VOICE was working with the Volta Regional Council of the YMCA as well as the YMCA of Glasgow to run a common project to provide literacy skills training for a number of people with disabilities in the region to improve their socio-economic status and quality of life.
The Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Kotobisah, said there was no justification for society to stigmatise people with disabilities because disasters or accidents were not predictable in life.
He, however, said people with disabilities should present a credible front than a fragmented one to access the provisions made to them under government policies.
Mr Kodobisah added that municipal and district assemblies would only listen to them when they presented credible development plans from their recognised organisations for action.
He assured them that a member of their group would be co-opted into the social services sub-committee of the assembly to help in articulating issues concerning their welfare.
The MCE said the municipal assembly would consider the inclusion of disability friendly factors in the construction of facilities to ensure easy access to public buildings and other public places.