Use state agency for disability fund disbursement - National Council member advises govt
A Member of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Joshua Addy, has advised the government to use the council, which is a state agency, for the disbursement and monitoring of the persons with disabilities fund instead of channelling the fund through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He said the fund, which is an intervention by the government to alleviate poverty among PWDs, was a laudable idea. It was helping PWDs who were putting it into good use, stressing, ‘’ when there are social interventions such as the PWDs Common Fund, it makes it more comfortable for the PWDs, especially those who are putting it into good use’’.
He gave the advice at the disbursement of the second consignment of items to PWDs in the Ga Central Municipal Assembly recently.
The 42 beneficiaries requested items including freezers, maize, charcoal, wheelchairs, a fufu pounding machine, a gas cylinder, bags of beans, cooking oil, bags of gari, palm oil, medical support and startup capital.
Mr Addy also lauded the current government, under President John Dramani Mahama, for increasing the PWDs' share of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) from three per cent to five per cent, which he said brought smiles to PWDs throughout the country.
‘’The PWDs part of the DACF used to be three per cent until this new government came and increased it to five per cent. Through this, we, the PWDs, know that the current government, for that matter, President Mahama, has issues of PWDs at heart and can do more for us going into the future.
Checks and balances
’The only thing we will plead with the government is that we have the state agency for disability matters and so their share of the fund should be routed through the state agency, which is the National Council on Disabilities, so that the necessary checks and balances will be put in place when the funds are disbursed’’, Mr Addy emphasised.
He said the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) also served as a civil society organisation capable of putting pressure on the government and the National Council for Disabilities to do the right thing, and therefore the government should not entertain any fears if the PWDs Fund is channelled through the state agency.
The Ga Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Emmanuel Addotey Allotey said the programme was a clear demonstration of the government’s strong commitment to the welfare, dignity and empowerment of PWDs.
‘’As a government, we firmly believe that disability is not inability as every citizen, regardless of physical or health challenges, deserves equal opportunity to live a productive and dignified life’’, Mr Allotey indicated.
The Social Welfare and Community Development Director of the assembly, Lydia Apaalah, said her department remained committed to providing guidance, monitoring and support to ensure the sustainability of the programme as the assembly would continue to prioritise the welfare and inclusion of PWDs.
