Plans to discourage disabled from begging

A Ghanaian deputy regional minister on Wednesday called for a concerted effort by society and other stakeholders to develop training programmes to discourage the disabled from begging for alms.

Mr. San Nasamu Asabigi said if the disabled are assisted to acquire skills and are gainfully employed, they could contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country instead of being dependent on charity.

Asabigi was addressing the opening of a two-day workshop on implementation of service delivery plan for persons with disabilities in Tamale in the northern region of Ghana. The 170 participants were drawn from the 13 district assemblies and decentralised departments in the region.

The objectives of the workshop are to train service providers and key community level workers to acquire skills on job placement for persons with disabilities, mobilisation of appropriate resources and securing of co-ordination and linkages with other service providers.

Other objectives are to support persons with disabilities, their families and communities to acquire income-generating skills and appropriate jobs, play advocacy role for the disabled, and provide appropriate interventions.

Asabigi said the community-based rehabilitation programmes, which are to be implemented by service delivery agents such as the Ministry of Health, Ghana Education Service, the Social Welfare Department, District Assemblies and other stakeholders, are a welcome relief to the disabled.

Asabigi urged the participants to ensure the implementation of the programmes, saying "you would be doing the society a lot of good if we succeed in reducing the number of people with disabilities on the streets". He said the northern region has a total of 11,534 disabled persons whose family members often find it difficult to take care of their needs.

He said since disabilities are acquired either through accidents or at birth, "it is absolutely necessary that we do not shun the company of people with disabilities".