More than 100 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Gushegu Municipality of the Northern Region have received support towards their socio-economic well-being.

The support included agricultural inputs, educational grants, healthcare assistance, business support and mobility aids from the Gushegu Municipal Assembly through the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).

The move, which aims at improving the livelihoods and welfare of beneficiaries, forms part of the assembly's efforts to promote economic empowerment, social inclusion and self-reliance among PWDs.

As part of the intervention, 100 beneficiaries received two bags each of NPK and ammonia fertilisers, agrochemicals and GH¢400 to cultivate at least two acres of farmland during the current farming season.

The initiative is expected to boost agricultural productivity, improve household incomes and enhance food security among beneficiary families.

In the education sector, three beneficiaries received financial support ranging from GH¢1,000 to GH¢2,000 to help cover school fees and purchase learning materials.

Another beneficiary received GH¢1,000 to cover medical expenses, while an entrepreneur was granted GH¢3,000 to expand his small-scale business and mobile money enterprise.

Additionally, two beneficiaries—a female student and a mobile phone repairer— were presented with brand-new Loujia Mapuka converted three-wheel tricycles to improve their mobility and support their daily activities and work.

Creating opportunities

Speaking during the disbursement ceremony over the weekend, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Gushegu, Adam Abdul Hafiz, said the support aligns with the government's commitment to creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to national development.

According to him, the latest disbursement was the third batch of the 2025 DACF support for PWDs since he assumed office, adding that a fourth batch was expected next month.

Mr Hafiz noted that beneficiaries were selected from all 25 electoral areas in the municipality, with each electoral area represented by at least two beneficiaries, reflecting the assembly's commitment to fairness, transparency and inclusiveness.

According to the MCE, the Assembly was also compiling a comprehensive database of persons with disabilities in the municipality to improve accountability and ensure that future support reaches deserving beneficiaries.

The MCE emphasised that the support programme was non-partisan and solely intended to improve the welfare of vulnerable members of society.

Mr Hafiz said that to address the limited number of individuals repeatedly benefiting from the fund, the Assembly introduced a more transparent and inclusive system to ensure that all eligible persons with disabilities had equal access to support, regardless of their political affiliation or social status.

Timely disbursement

He assured beneficiaries that the assembly would continue to facilitate the timely disbursement of funds whenever resources become available.

The Social Welfare Officer at the Gushegu Municipal Assembly, Iddrisu Ibrahim, said the support provided was based on requests submitted by beneficiaries, adding that the department received applications covering education, healthcare, agriculture and business development and worked closely with the assembly to address the identified needs.

Mr Ibrahim commended the assembly for its continued commitment to improving the lives of persons with disabilities, noting that the interventions were enhancing access to food, healthcare, education and economic opportunities for beneficiaries and their families.

Some beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the Municipal Assembly and the government for the assistance and pledged to utilise the support for its intended purposes.

One of the beneficiaries, Abdul Ganiu, a mobile phone repairer who received a three-wheel tricycle, said the support would significantly improve his mobility and enable him to serve his clients more effectively.