The Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) has contributed to efforts of the University to achieve improved livelihood for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in AAMUSTED.
The Association, on August 18, 2023, donated three (3) wheelchairs, two (2) pairs of clutches, bags of rice, boxes of tin tomatoes, packs of bottled mineral water, bags of toilet rolls, and One Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC1,000.00) cash to the PWDs to support their upkeep in the University.
The donation, according to the GRASAG President, Mr. Samuel Kwame Otoo, is the Association’s widow’s mite to help ameliorate the challenges PWDs face as they pursue further studies.
He was full of praise for the Gender Commissioner of the Association for the hard work she did in seeking support for the donation. Mr. Otoo encouraged his successors to make it a key feature of their administration to support the PWDs since that was noble and godly.
The Registrar, Mr. Augustus K. Brew receiving the items from Mr. Samuel Kwame Otoo, GRASAG President
Receiving the items on behalf of the PWDs, Mr. Augustus Kwaw Brew, Registrar of AAMUSTED, thanked the Association for the kind and thoughtful gesture. He was happy that members of the Association sacrificed things or activities that could have brought them comfort and convenience to support the PWDs.
He said such a gesture was praiseworthy and encouraged other associations and groups in the University to emulate the shining example of GRASAG.
The President of the PWDs in AAMUSTED, Mr. Albert Lebil Punamanbil, equally thanked the executives and members of GRASAG for considering them worthy of support. He said the donated items would go a long way to help members of the group.
Mr. Punamanbil was extremely grateful to the Management, Staff, and Students of AAMUSTED for the regular support that is extended to the PWDs in the University.
He hinted at plans by the leadership of the PWDs to organise skills training for the PWDs so that they would not be found wanting in the pursuit of jobs after school. He hoped that benevolent individuals and groups would come to their aid if they called on them for help.
In addition to creating better access for PWD admissions into the University, AAMUSTED continues to improve conditions on its campuses to make life easier for PWDs. The University has fully considered the PWDs in its landscaping works and provided a lift in its high-rise lecture block.
Also supporting the PWDs in the University is the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University. About three years ago under President Richard Opoku, the SRC established a Disability Revolving Fund and sought help to acquire wheelchairs for the PWDs.
Succeeding SRC Administrations have also regularly supported the PWDs. The current administration, for instance, has given financial support to over 53 of the PWDs to support the acquisition of study materials.
Present to support the Registrar in receiving the items were the Dean of the Faculty of Technical Education (FTE), Prof. Humphery Danso, Ag. Director of Human Resources, Mr. Michael Kofi Adu; and the Ag. Director of University Relations, Mr. Michael Kofi Twum-Ampomah.
Other Executives of GRASAG namely Messrs. Vincent Nana Nyarko, Secretary; Blay Bmagor, Organiser; Nicholas Amissah, Financial Secretary; Miss Esther Sarfo, Treasurer, and Miss Juliet Montii, Women’s Commissioner, were also present at the brief ceremony.
