The South Tongu District Assembly, through its Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, has officially distributed critical industrial startup kits and economic tools to seven Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within the district in a decisive move toward poverty alleviation and inclusive local governance.
The items, funded under the disability component of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), were jointly presented to the beneficiaries at a brief ceremony at the Assembly premises in Sogakope by the District Chief Executive (DCE), Hon Victoria Dzeklo, and the Parliament of Ghana Member (MP) for the South Tongu Constituency, Hon. Maxwell Kwame Lukutor.
The collaborative exercise highlights a unified approach by the district’s political leadership to advance social protection, move beyond ad-hoc financial aid, and equip vulnerable demographics with sustainable livelihoods.
The latest phase of the disbursement targeted specific micro-enterprise needs based on the vocational backgrounds of the selected beneficiaries across multiple electoral areas. In the retail and cold-chain sector, Fodzo Ewoenam of Nutekpor and Abla Ayivi of Agbogbla each received a deep freezer to boost their trading capacities, while Botier Borley Beatrice of Kua was equipped with a refrigerator to support small-scale catering and the preservation of perishable goods.
To enhance local garment production, the Assembly provided heavy-duty industrial sewing machines to both Janet Yevu of Agbogbla and Simon Vadze of Fievie, allowing them to scale up their fashion design businesses.
Additionally, the distribution focused on preserving and expanding traditional crafts within the district; Suglo Victor of Agorkpo received a comprehensive set of Kente-weaving materials to support traditional textile production, and Kobla Dorwu of Sogakope was supplied with high-grade leather materials to advance his footwear and leatherworks manufacturing enterprise.
Speaking during the presentation, the District Chief Executive, Hon. Victoria Dzeklo, emphasized that the distribution aligns with the government’s statutory mandate to allocate 3% of the DACF toward the welfare, economic empowerment, and educational support of PWDs nationwide.
She noted that the provision of physical assets rather than direct cash transfers ensures that beneficiaries possess the long-term tools necessary to build self-reliance, establish viable small businesses, and live with dignity.
Corroborating the assembly’s vision, the Member of Parliament, Hon. Maxwell Kwame Lukutor, commended the Social Welfare Department for its rigorous and transparent vetting process. He urged the recipients to maximize the utilization of the heavy-duty machinery and raw materials, cautioning against the liquidation or underutilization of the distributed assets.
To safeguard the investments and guarantee measurable socio-economic impacts, the South Tongu District Directorate of Social Welfare announced it will institute a routine post-disbursement monitoring framework. Field officers will periodically assess the operational status of the equipment within the respective communities to offer technical advice and ensure the startup kits effectively catalyze household income generation.
Local representatives and beneficiaries expressed profound gratitude to the local authorities, stating that the prompt provision of industrial-grade machinery offers a significant relief from the systemic barriers faced by PWDs in accessing commercial credit and business equipment.
SRHR: Peter Dzorgbenyuie Junior Narteh-Agbeyome – Freelancer, STDA Member
CCPD: Socialism Development, Local 3 News, LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, Government of Odisha, Roberts Daily TV, Volta News Daily, Freedom FM live,, Ministry of Finance, Ghana, Pulse Ghana, Akatsi Today, Volta Today, Person With Disability (PWD), Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, MSJE, GhanaWeb, Social Welfare Society
#PWDs
