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Stop begging for alms… disabled cobbler admonishes PWDs
Mr Joseph Odey Mensah, a physically challenged cobbler, has asked persons with disability to stop begging for alms on the streets as the development is damaging to dignity
The owner of the Hope for Disabled Leather Works, located at Teshie in Accra, told The Spectator in an interview that everyone was created with capabilities and begging on the streets was a lazy and undignified way of making a living.
He said, “There is always dignity in labouring to cater for one’s self rather than stooping so low to beg on the streets.”
“I never wanted to become a burden to my family and society at large so I decided to train and become an entrepreneur instead of begging on the streets like many of my fellow disabled persons do.
“I believe in being self-reliant and need to set examples to other disabled persons to work hard and earn a decent living instead of relying on other people for survival,” he stated.
Paralysed in both legs at the age of three, the now 59-year-old man said, he established the company 37 years ago after dropping out of school, and decided to train at the Accra Rehabilitation Centre in 1982.
Singlehandedly, Mr. Joseph Odey Mensah popularly called Joe Mens made birkenstock sandals, students’ sandals and casual leather slippers for men and women.
“I am inspired to change the narrative where disabled persons are associated with begging, to become an entrepreneur and make a huge mark in Ghana’s local shoemaking industry,” he stated.
The father of five further said that, he took good care of his family through his shoemaking business and was working hard to expand the trade across the national capital Accra, and beyond.
“I make five sandals daily and I am able to make a decent amount each day to take care of my children’s education, the family’s upkeep as well as other disabled persons who I assist occasionally,” he stressed.
The country, he said, required everyone to contribute their quota to national development and thatsetting up his business was part of his contribution to the development of the private sector which was the engine of growth.
However, he said, the business was not without challenges as he needed adequate financial and logistical support to expand and employ other persons to earn decent living.
“I have over 80 persons under the ‘Hope for Disabled Persons Foundation’ and I intend to employ them to avoid endangering their lives on the streets,” he said, and called on government to make available the three percent allocated to disabled persons in the District Assembly Common Fund to help start-ups like him grow his companyto employ more persons.
“The allocation is a laudable idea but in reality, we do not receive the funds. I am trying to get government’s auction cars through the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to help distribute the slippers across the country”.
“With the right support, I can get more raw materials to produce in large quantities and distribute across the country instead of relying solely on my small showroom which is outside the capital,” he lamented.
He called on the public to desist from denying disabled persons jobs and consider them assets to society rather than liability.
“Parents must also not abandon their disabled children but support them to reach their full potentials,” he stressed.
By Michael Abayateye
Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP), Catherine Mawunya Gagakuma, is a career prison officer whose dedication to discipline, service, and rehabilitation has defined her professional journey in the Ghana Prisons Service.
Since joining the service in 2012, CSP Gagakuma has steadily risen through the ranks, earning respect for her firm yet empathetic leadership style and her commitment to transforming correctional management in Ghana.
Her journey into the Ghana Prisons Service began with a desire to serve her country meaningfully. “I wanted to contribute to a system that not only enforces the law but also transforms lives,” she reflects. Over the years, this choice has shaped both her professional and personal growth, guiding her to a position that few women have attained.
CSP Gagakuma was drawn to corrections because it sits at the intersection of justice, humanity, and responsibility. “The Prisons Service is not only about custody; it is about correction, reform, and giving people the opportunity to return to society better than they left,” she explains. This vision has underpinned her career, from her early assignments to her current role as Officer in Charge of Awutu Camp Prison.
A defining moment in her professional growth came when she was posted to Awutu Camp Prison as the first female senior officer at the station and appointed local president of the Prison’s Ladies Association (PRILAS). “Being entrusted with this responsibility was both humbling and motivating,” she recalls. Leadership roles in inmate welfare and rehabilitation allowed her to develop a nuanced understanding of human behaviour, sharpen her decision-making skills, and strengthen her conviction that humane correction is the most effective form of correction.
As Officer in Charge of Awutu Camp Prison, Catherine shoulders immense responsibility, overseeing both staff and inmates while ensuring that the institution operates as a centre for rehabilitation rather than mere confinement. She emphasises that combining discipline with empathy is critical to maintaining order, fostering trust, and promoting rehabilitation among inmates.
Under CSP Gagakuma’s leadership, Awutu Camp Prison stands out for its focus on agricultural programmes, skill development, and rehabilitation. Inmates are given opportunities to learn responsibility, teamwork, and self-worth, creating an environment that prepares them for reintegration into society. “Many inmates respond positively when given responsibility and a genuine second chance,” she observes, emphasising that imprisonment need not hinder personal growth.
Being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated environment has presented its own challenges, but CSP Gagakuma views these as opportunities to strengthen resilience, confidence, and clarity of purpose. She credits her experiences with helping her cultivate emotional intelligence alongside firmness, a balance essential for managing both staff and inmates.
Her leadership style is described as “firm, fair, and affable.” She believes in leading by example, holding both herself and her team accountable while remaining approachable. “I listen carefully, but I also make decisive choices when required,” she notes. Supporting and motivating her officers is central to her philosophy. She fosters a culture of mentorship, open communication, recognition, and encouragement. “Motivated officers are the backbone of every institution,” she asserts. Recognising hard work and providing opportunities for professional development ensures that her team performs effectively while maintaining high ethical standards.
CSP Gagakuma’s work has also shaped her understanding of justice and rehabilitation. She believes that true justice must extend beyond punishment, preparing individuals to return to society better than when they entered the system. This philosophy is central to her approach at Awutu Camp, where the emphasis is on skill acquisition, behavioural change, and humane treatment.
Outside the prison walls, CSP Gagakuma stays grounded through faith, personal reflection, and strong connections with family, friends, and colleagues. These practices sustain her in a demanding career and inform her leadership with balance and perspective.
Looking ahead, she hopes her legacy will be one of discipline, empowerment, and humane correction. “I want to be remembered as a leader who strengthened discipline, promoted rehabilitation, empowered officers, and positively impacted the lives of inmates,” she says. Through her vision, Awutu Camp Prison is not just a facility for custody, but a beacon of ethical leadership, professional development, and transformative correction in Ghana.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
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Archbishop Dr Charles Agyinasare, Founder of the Perez Chapel International, has urged Ghanaians to be wary of prophets that prophesy to create confusion, fear, and destroy families and nations.
According to the renowned Bishop, prophetic pathways must align with destinies and not destroy homes and marriages as well as nations. To this end, he urged the Christian faithful to subject prophecies to biblical test, saying, “Prophecies must be tested and understood.”
Bishop Dr Agyinasare said this in his sermon on Sunday on the theme: ‘Prophets and Prophecy, Are They Important.’
It came in the wake of the numerous prophecies that have engulfed the media space with pastors predicting diverse outcomes on the same event. That has raised integrity concerns about some of these prophets and their prophecies.
It became a matter of concern for government after the unfortunate air disaster that claimed the lives of government officials and members of the security services. That led to the establishment of an agency chaired by Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah to receive prophecies of national interest.
It took a different dimension with the New Patriotic Party Presidential Primaries, held last week, with several pastors claiming to have received prophecies but divided on which candidate emerges the winner.
But according to Bishop Agyinasare, although prophecies were important, they ought to be grounded in scripture, governed by accountability, motivated by love, and centred on Christ.
He said the importance of prophets and prophecy have been questioned in recent times not because it disappeared but because it has appeared with intensity; sometimes with beauty and sometimes with abuse. “We live in times when prophetic activities have become widespread, yet discernment is scarce. As a result, some have been blessed and others have been bruised. The answers in scripture is clear and unambiguous but the prophecies must be understood, tested, and rightly handled.”
According to him, prophecies were divine plans of God and not from imagination or cultural trends or ecclesiastical experimentation, saying that “it is not a modern innovation or charismatic novelty.”
“Prophecies are God’s ideas according to scripture, initiated and sustained by him for guidance for the edification of the church,” he emphasised.
He explained that God uses the prophetic word to affirm what he has already said through scripture. “True prophecy applies scripture; it does not replace it. It never competes with scripture. It complements it. We are to test all prophecies,” he indicated.
Furthermore, he noted that prophecy is to glorify Jesus, but when men of God appear to take the glory and are carried by their members for their prophecies, then it is no longer about Jesus, and that is when all goes wrong.
Sadly, he mentioned that some of the prophets have become full of themselves. He said false prophecies usually instill fear among people, create situations of hopelessness, and urged people to beware of such prophecies.
Referencing a scripture in Matthew 7:15-20, Bishop Agyinasare reminded Christians to beware of false prophets, explaining that such people could be recognised by the fruits they bear, believing that some of the prophecies appear to humiliate leaders and cause fear.
By Andrew Nortey
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