Cornmill project for Birim South GAB inaugurated

Akim Swedru, June 18, GNA - The Ghana Federation of Disabled (GFD) has threatened to take District Chief Executives who are refusing to disburse the five per cent of the Common Fund meant for the disabled to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justices (CHRAJ) to explain why they were flouting the government's directives.

Mr. Yaw Ofori-Debra, President of the GFD gave the threat at the inauguration of a 40-million cedi cornmill project for the Birim South District branch of the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB) at Akim Swedru on Saturday.

The project was financed from the association's share of the DACF. He expressed the appreciation of the association to the government on its initiative to set aside five per cent of the District Assembly's Common Fund "DACF" to support persons With Disabilities (PWDs). Mr. Ofori-Debrah however, expressed worry that some District, Metropolitan and Municipal Chief Executives were not co-operating with the PWDs in the disbursement of the fund.

He said disability itself did not impede the progress and development of a disabled person, "but how the society is structured, especially the building environment that hindered the inclusion and participation of disabled persons in national development" Mr. Ofori-Debrah appealed to policy makers and the entire society to reform their attitudes towards disability and assist PWDs to integrate fully into society.

Mr. Charles Atta-Mensah, the District Co-ordinating Director said since the introduction of the five per cent package of the DACF for the disabled in 2005, the fund has yielded over 300 million cedis. He said the Assembly in-collaboration with disabled groups was disbursing the fund for both group projects and for individuals as loans without interest.

Mr. Atta-Mensah urged the management team of the project to show commitment, transparency and be accountable to their members so that the trust reposed in them with respect to managing the project could be sustained.

He entreated all beneficiaries to repay their loans on time so that other members who had not benefited could also assess the facility. Mr. Benjamin Anoku, the District President of the Association, in a welcomin address, said their next project would be the construction of a guest house and appealed for support from the public.