Tamale, Nov. 7, – The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) has disbursed GH¢602,776 in cash and livelihood support to 213 persons with disabilities to support their education, healthcare and income-generating activities.

The support, presented at the Assembly’s premises on Friday, included ruminants, wheelchairs, sewing machines, deep freezers, welding machines and cheques.

Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hon. Adam Abubakari Takoro, said 23 beneficiaries received GH¢67,000 for educational support, while 19 received GH¢49,000 for medical support.

He said 94 beneficiaries received GH¢291,500 for petty trading, two received GH¢5,000 for farming and four received GH¢16,000 for assistive devices.

Hon. Takoro said the allocations for those categories totalled GH¢428,500, while GH¢174,276 went towards ruminants, equipment and logistics, bringing the total disbursement to GH¢602,776.

He indicated that GH¢25,000 remained in the Persons with Disabilities Fund to cater for emergency cases.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to use the support for its intended purposes and cautioned them against applying for support from other assemblies when the next batch of applications opened.

Hon. Takoro said the Assembly had constituted a team to monitor how beneficiaries utilised the assistance.

Mr Musah Abdul Majeed, the Tamale Metropolitan Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, urged the beneficiaries not to return to the streets to beg after receiving the support.

He said a monitoring team would follow up on beneficiaries, adding that those found begging on the streets would no longer receive assistance from the Assembly.

“In case we see any of you on the street, we will never support you in any way,” he warned.

Ms Ibrahim Karima, a beneficiary who received a fridge, expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for the support.

“This really shows that the President has not forgotten us, the disabled,” she said.

She assured the Assembly, on behalf of her fellow beneficiaries, that they would put the items and financial support to good use.

By Fuseini Katali Issah