The Jaman South Municipal Assembly has disbursed over 4 billion old cedis from the Persons with Disabilities Fund to 165 beneficiaries to support their economic activities and improve their living conditions in Jaman South in the Bono Region.

In an interview with the media, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jaman South, Siata Watara, revealed that the Assembly is shifting its focus from providing cash grants to supporting beneficiaries with tools, equipment and other income-generating resources.

She explained that although cash assistance helps meet immediate needs, it is often exhausted quickly.

According to her, providing productive assets will empower beneficiaries to establish sustainable livelihoods, grow their businesses and become economically independent.

"Jaman South Municipal Assembly as we do it all the time, we have disbursed Disability Common Fund, the 5% president Mahama said we use to support People With Disabilities.

"This is the third time we're organising such programme and from the beginning what the community members were asking is money and apart from that I did my personal monitoring and I realized that when they received the money they don't use it for anything to support their lives but just misusing it.

"So I and Disability managements, Social Welfare and community members and told them to plan on what exactly they can benefit from support themselves in their day to day lives.

"With this, and some told us that they needed weldering machine because some are welders and support 165 members and the money that went was 4 billion plus in the old currency," she stated.

Speaking at the disbursement ceremony, the Chairman of the PWDs, Charles Agyei Mensah, commended the government and the Assembly for their continued support to persons with disabilities.

He, however, expressed concern that some beneficiaries sell the tools and equipment they receive instead of using them to establish income-generating activities.

He urged members to make good use of the support to improve their livelihoods and attain economic independence.