Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - Mitsubishi Corporation on Tuesday handed over a 30,000-dollar renovated workshop equipped with tools to the Accra Rehabilitation Centre. Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, who cut the tape to re-commission the workshop, said the issue of the disabled is of great concern to government.

"As the population increases, more disables are born and this situation calls on the entire society to reach out to these people and help them to be self-reliant." He said dwindling resources have given rise to a high poverty level that adversely affects the disabled adding, "being disabled and poor is double jeopardy."

The tools include leather sewing machines, hand and industrial sewing machines, grinding machines, cabinets, toolboxes, gas cylinders and canes for weaving. Alhaji Mumuni advised the public to empower disabled people with skills that would make them self-sufficient rather than "continuously throwing money at them."

He appealed to Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) to assist the Department of Social Welfare to train more trainers for schools for the disabled. Mr Takao Fujino, General Manager of MC, said the corporation decided to help the centre because "it needed and continues to need assistance."

He appealed to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and the rehabilitation centre to put in mechanisms to maintain the facilities. Mr Fujino urged the students to take good care of the tools and the workshops and help train more disabled people.