Ministry to ensure prompt payment of funds to PWDs
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, has assured Persons Living With Disabilities that the ministry will ensure that their two per cent allocation of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) is paid promptly.
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She noted that the National Council on Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) in that regard had held discussions with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to use the guidelines on the two per cent of the DACF for PWDs for its early disbursement to beneficiaries.
According to her, the ministry was liaising with the MMDAs for the regular payment of their share of the DACF to enable them to engage in income generating businesses to improve their standard of living.
Assurance
Nana Oye Lithur gave the assurance when she addressed the President’s maiden Easter get-together with People Living With Disabilities at Agona Swedru in the Central Region last Tuesday.
The PWDs were given bags of rice, quantities of second-hand clothing, mosquito nets and soft drinks.
As part of the celebration, the PWDs were taken through free medical screening and also registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
She noted that the MoGCSP was working to ensure a more effective participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in national issues, adding that: “The ministry had inaugurated a board for the National Council on Persons with Disabilities to address their needs and challenges.”
She explained that according to the 2010 population and housing census, the population of PWDs was about 2.4million which placed a huge responsibility on government and other stakeholders to see to the proper welfare of PWDs.
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The gender minister mentioned that under the ministry’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, PWDs constituted one of the categories of persons eligible for LEAP and stressed that about 288 people with disabilities had been registered to benefit from the programme.
Regional Minister
The Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, assured the PWDs of prompt payment of their two per cent share of the DACF.
He cautioned all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the region against delay in the payment of the PWD’s share of the common fund.
He said the government would provide skills training to PWDs as well as provide them with the necessary working equipment to enable them to engage in profitable businesses to better their lives.
Chairman of PWDs
The Chairman of the Federation of the Disabled in the Agona West Municipality, Mr Isaac Kofi Asante, appealed to the government to increase their share of the common fund from two to four per cent since it was inadequate.
He expressed gratitude on behalf of the association to President John Dramani Mahama for the recognition during the Easter celebration since it would help put smiles on their faces.
Also present was the Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mrs Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr, the Central Regional NDC Chairman, Mr Allotey Jacobs, Mr Samuel Oppong, the Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom, the MP for Agona West, among others.