It is an offence to solicit for alms-Aikins

Cape Coast, May 30, GNA- Soliciting for alms on the streets of Ghanaian cities and towns is a criminal offence. Therefore disables and others who make it alms begging a career should seek advise or join their respective associations to enable them to benefit from programmes, activities and financial support given to groups other than individuals.

The Mayor of Cape Coast, Mr. Anthony Egyir Aikins was speaking at the end of an eight-week training programme designed to sharpen the entrepreneurial skills of the disabled in the Cape Coast Metropolis for sustainable livelihood on Friday in Cape Coast, He told the 50 participants that the government had their interest at heart and would ensure that their lives were improved adding that it was towards this direction that the Oguaa Assembly has for the past two and a half years paid one per cent of its common fund to the disabled associations. The training programme was designed by the Cape Coast Business Advisory Centre (BAC) in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) with financial support from the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Ghana.

The disbursement of the fund which was in line with the Assembly's Common Fund only became effective after the disabled were grouped into associations and the funds disbursed into their accounts to enable them carry out their programmes.

Mr. Egyir Aikins encouraged other disables to join the associations to avail themselves of the opportunities on offer and not to withdraw from society because they have a lot to offer and stressed that they should be law abiding and contribute their quota meaningfully towards the development of the Metropolis and the country as a whole.

He pledged the Assembly's preparedness to support them to realize their full potentials and remain independent to carry out their obligations to their families.

Ms. Felicia Ankrah, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Social Welfare Officer, urged the beneficiaries to put the knowledge acquired into practice.

She expressed worry that most of them go back to the street after receiving such 93rich training" and warned that the law will ruthlessly deal with any of them who would go back to beg for alms. Ms. Alison Walker, the Disability Development Advisor of the VSO Ghana, who is attached to the Metropolitan DSW said the training course would enable the disabled who have acquired the necessary skills to run their trading and other activities successfully. She asked the executives of the beneficiary groups namely the Ghana Blind Union (GBU), Ghana Society for Physically Disabled (GSPD), Services and Advocacy for People with Intellectual Disability (SAPID) and the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) would be better managers who will run their associations with the required skills, after the training.

Ms Allison said the training course was important because majority of disables in the Metropolis were poor and faced a lot of obstacles in the area of securing and sustaining livelihoods hence the need to build-up their capacities to run their own businesses and petty trading activities.

The course content included 93records and book-keeping, business and financial management, the culture of savings and the benefits of banking.

The Head of the Cape Coast BAC, Ms. Veronica Essien, said the Associations of the Disabled needed the training because numerous assistances both in cash and tools from many organizations have not helped them realise their economic aspirations. Ms. Essien urged the participants to put what they have learnt into practice. 30 May 11