The Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association has honoured Ms Diana Yeboah, a physically challenged apprentice, for qualifying as a dressmaker.
Ms Yeboah, 34 years, a cripple who moves with the aid of two crutches, took three years to qualify as a dressmaker under the care of Madam Lucy Aggrey.
In a short but impressive graduation ceremony, Madam Aggrey expressed her delight at Diana’s achievement but added that her departure had created a big vacuum in her department, as she had lost a worthy, dedicated, honest and faithful apprentice.
Madam Aggrey wished Diana a successful and prosperous career and appealed to the government, the district assembly and other philanthropists to support Diana in cash and in kind to enable her to start her career on a good note.
Abranhen Nana Kwabena Yeboah, father of Diana, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that as a school girl his daughter had been an athlete but was taken ill in 1986 by a strange disease that finally crippled her.
In spite of her disability, however, Diana did not lose hope and decided to become a dressmaker, the father added.
Present at the ceremony was the District Pastor, John Enoch Baiden of the Church of Pentecost who opened the function by invoking God’s blessings to grace the occasion.
The Chairperson of the Association, Madam Margaret Baidoo and the Secretary, Brother Emmanuel E. Gaisie, shared their joy with the achievement of Diana.
Brother Gaisie told the gathering, especially the able-bodied unemployed youth, to take a cue from Diana to start to learn a trade and desist from moving from bar-to-bar and begging for money to buy food.
Tufuhen Nana Essuon Weldu-Owuwiredu IV of Bisease, who witnessed the ceremony, handed over Diana’s certificate of honour to her.