PWDs accuse Assembly of discrimination in Common Fund disbursement

Persons with disability in the Ledzokuku municipality in Accra have accused the local authority of being selective in the disbursement of funds allocated to them in the District Assembly Common Fund.

By law, all district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies are required to disburse 3% of the Common Fund to persons with disability within their respective jurisdictions, but that seems to be problematic at Ledzokuku as some concerns have been raised.

At a 3FM Community Connect programme at Teshie Tsuibleoo in Accra, some persons with disabilities lamented the Assembly is not transparent in the disbursement of their share of the Common Fund.

But the fund manager at the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, James Bortey, refuted the allegations leveled against the Assembly, explaining that since 2012 the Assembly has ensured that the disability funds are released to those who are due

He, however, added that beneficiaries would have to follow due process, which includes interviews and vetting before funds are disbursed.

Background

The World Health Organization figures indicate there are over two million disabled persons in Ghana, majority of whom are impoverished and marginalized and facing major life challenges as inaccessible public facilities, education and other social services,

The Government passed the Disability bill in June 2006 to give respite to persons with disability, but the implementation of the Act is far from desirable. The Act stipulates giving 3 percent of the Assembly Common Fund to persons with disability, aimed at reducing poverty, particularly among those outside the formal sector.

But this objective appear to be far from being achieved as issues of improper management, monitoring, disbursement and documentation of the funds have been the challenge for persons with disability.

The guidelines for the disbursement of the funds are also silent on the number of times and amount an individual or organization can access.

Compounding the situation, able-bodied persons are allegedly accessing the fund meant for persons with disability.