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Akatsi-North District Assembly supports 123 PWDs in education, health and skills development
The Akatsi-North District Assembly, has supported 123 People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in education, health and skills development, as part of government’s policy to empower and provide an enabling environment for PWDs to improve on their living conditions, and contribute meaningfully to development.
The District Assembly in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development (DSWCD) have provided training in employable skills, income generation activities with start-up capitals, provision of technical aids, devices, working tools, registration under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and supported those at the various levels of education.
Presenting cheques and working tools to another batch of beneficiary PWDs on Tuesday at Ave-Dakpa, the District Chief Executive (DCE) Mr Simon Peter Ofosu said the era when PWDs were only given pocket monies was over and equipping them with employable skills and helping them to establish their own businesses was economically viable.
Mr Ofosu said government policy to address economic challenges confronting PWDs is being implemented at the Assembly through the PWD component of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), which was used by the Assembly to improve on the living conditions of the beneficiaries in the District.
He explained that the Akatsi-North Assembly formed Disability Fund Management Committee (DFMC), which was tasked to identify PWDs to form a group that would easily benefit from the disability fund, and said the Assembly had shown much commitment to the wellbeing of PWDs in the area.
According to the DCE, much as the Assembly was committed to ensuring that PWDs were provided with the needed support to ensure that they would become economically independent, PWDs should support the activities of the Assembly by ensuring that they register with the Assembly to enable them to also benefit from the assistance being given by the Assembly.
Mr Ofosu said government support for PWDs was linked to the Sustainable Development Goal eight and ten, which aimed at ensuring economic empowerment to improve their livelihoods and mitigate the vulnerability they faced in the society among others.
The DCE also appealed to the PWDs who received support in the area of education, to take advantage of the available opportunities they were enjoying to learn hard to justify the investment government was making in them to become successful in their chosen academic carriers, to return and serve in the District.
According to the DCE, the Assembly did not impose anything on the PWDs but tried as much as possible to provide the demands that they made, as some of them requested for corn mills, sewing machines, and refrigerators to enable them to sell sachet water, plastic chairs and canopies for hiring, which were provided for them.
Mr Ofosu, however advised the beneficiaries to put the items to good use that would help transform their lives, and cautioned against sale of the items because the Assembly would regularly monitor the beneficiaries and anyone who was found to have sold his or her equipment, would no longer receive any benefit from the Assembly again.
The Akatsi-North District Social Welfare and Community Development (SWCD) Officer, Mr Isaac Abanga assured the PWDs who applied but did not benefit yet to be patient because processes to secure their equipment were underway and would soon receive them.
From LAWRENCE MARKWEI, Ave-Dakpa
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Sam George authorises dismissal of about 100 Ghana Post staff over irregular recruitment
Communications Minister, Sam George, has authorised the dismissal of nearly 100 staff of the Ghana Post Limited, citing an irregular recruitment process.
The affected staff members were employed after the December 7, 2024, election, a period during which the minister says proper procedures were not followed.
Speaking about the decision, Sam George expressed his commitment to clearing the ministry of individuals whose recruitment was not in line with the established protocols.
He stated that as the head of the ministry, he could not work with staff members whose employment was marred by irregularities.
“If you are a minister and you take over a ministry that has 3,117 staff in the ministry and its agencies and 600 were recruited after December 7, you cannot expect me to come and inherit such a mess, and so the rationalisation is ongoing,” he told the press on Tuesday.
He added, “Today, I have authorised a termination of a few more at Ghana Post, almost 100 that were done post-election.”
The Communications Minister explained that the irregular recruitment had created a situation where positions were filled without following due process, leading to inefficiencies within the department.
The Ningo-Prampram legislator emphasised that he is on a mission to “Clean up the ministry to make sure that it is lean and efficient and carries out its works.”
The government has been reverting many post-election employment in the public sector, which it says was done without following the laid down procedures in various sectors of the economy.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana pays courtesy call on Minister of Health
The High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana, Juliette Byone-Sutherland, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to discuss key issues in the health sector.
During the meeting, Mr.Akandoh highlighted the need for increased funding to ensure the effective implementation of healthcare processes.
To address the challenges faced by health workers in rural areas, the Minister mentioned a proposed package of incentives, including an additional 20% of their basic salaries, quicker promotions, and scholarships for further training.
He also emphasised the importance of providing steady leave with pay to encourage health workers to remain in these areas.
Mr.Akandoh stressed the need for six additional hospitals to cater to the new regions created in Ghana. He also discussed plans to upgrade regional and teaching hospitals to attract more skilled health workers.
In response, High Commissioner Byone-Sutherland expressed her appreciation for the Minister and the government’s efforts to improve the health sector.
She also suggested that nurses from Barbados could benefit from health training programmes in Ghana, gaining practical experience in the field.
This courtesy call highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing between countries to improve healthcare outcomes.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to addressing the challenges faced by health workers and ensuring that Ghanaians receive quality healthcare services.
