Rev Dr Steve Mensah, Founder of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry
Founder of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry (CEM), Rev Dr Steve Mensah, has urged Ghanaians to unite in building a disability-friendly nation where persons living with disabilities are empowered to live with dignity and independence.
He made the call at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Day of Help initiative held in Takoradi, an event that brought together thousands of beneficiaries, volunteers and partners from across the country to mark a decade of inclusive service.
Over the past ten years, CEM’s Day of Help has reached more than 50,000 persons with disabilities nationwide, providing free medical care, assistive devices, surgeries, food support, and vocational training.
The initiative has become one of Ghana’s most extensive faith-based humanitarian programmes focused on disability inclusion.
This year’s anniversary also marked a major transition of the Day of Help into the CEM Ability Village Project a long-term development effort aimed at providing housing, healthcare and livelihood support for persons with disabilities.
Construction of the first phase of the Ability Village is expected to begin in December 2025 at Agortor-Kope in the Shai-Osudoku District.
Chief Executive Officer of the project, Fred Nuer, announced that the original plan to establish the Village solely in Accra on a 2,000-acre land has been revised to include regional Ability Centres in all 16 regions.
“By expanding this vision beyond Accra, we are ensuring that persons with disabilities across Ghana can access opportunities closer to home,” Nuer said.
“This decentralised model aligns with Ghana’s disability inclusion agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals on decent work and reduced inequalities.”
Speaking on behalf of persons with disabilities, Alexander Kojo Tetteh, President of the Centre for Employment of Persons with Disabilities, expressed gratitude to Rev Mensah and the church for their sustained commitment over the past decade.
He called on government to partner with CEM to realise the Ability Village’s objectives, which include the establishment of decent housing, a specialist hospital, vocational training centres and technology hubs.
Delivering a message on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Bodies, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, commended CEM’s leadership and reaffirmed government’s support for the project.
“Building a disability-friendly Ghana requires partnerships like this, where compassion meets structure and service becomes sustainable,” he said.
Rev Dr Steve Mensah described the anniversary as both a moment of reflection and renewed national commitment.
“The Ability Village is not a shelter but a launchpad for empowerment,” he noted.
“We believe every person has God-given potential. Our task is to help them unlock it.
Naa Torshie Addo-Lartey, Founder of the Reneaddo Foundation and long-time partner of the Day of Help, also praised CEM’s consistency and dedication to social inclusion.
The celebration concluded with the relaunch of the “10 for Ability” campaign a nationwide call inviting individuals and organisations to contribute GH₵10 a month towards the construction of regional empowerment centres for persons with disabilities.
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