Disabled persons demand representation

Ho, June 25, GNA - Members of Volta Regional Disability Network (VODIN) on Monday called for the establishment of mechanisms at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure transparent disbursement of the two per cent of District Assemblies Common Fund reserved for People With Disabilities (PWDs).

The call was made at a press conference in Ho as part of Disability Week celebration, which coincided with the second anniversary of the passage of the Disability Act 715 of 2006.

It was under the theme, "Empowering people with disabilities towards building national economy".

They alleged that groups representing PWDs in the Ho Municipality did not know value of the two per cent and how it was disbursed. They contended that a proposal made to the assembly to constitute a tripartite committee comprising representatives of the assembly, Department of Social Welfare and VODIN to deal with issues concerning the fund was rejected.

The Network said though provisions were made by the assembly for disabled persons in its composite budget and Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) they were not consulted in the drawing of such plans and budgets.

It said members paid taxes, used mobile phones and paid for other goods and services as citizens and therefore, ought to be consulted when decisions concerning them were being made.

The Network said support through the disabled fund should not be limited to education and campaigns but to support productive activities of PWDs and their groups.

Answering questions, Mr Thomas Mawueli Malm, Public Relations Officer of the Network, said the assembly gave 500 Ghana cedis (Five million cedis) in 2006 and a cheque for 1,000 Ghana cedis (10 million cedis) in 2007 towards the celebration of the International Day of the Disabled and another event on request.

He did not explain whether the assistance from the assembly were from the two per cent.

Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, in a reaction to the concerns, told Ghana News Agency that no proposal for a tripartite committee on the disability fund was submitted to the assembly. He said the assembly was sponsoring some deaf and dumb students at Mampong-Akwapim School for the Deaf and others engaged in productive activities.

Mr Goh explained that programmes, which satisfied guidelines for disbursement from the fund, could be supported.

He noted that each of the several splinter groups of People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the municipality tended to create the impression that access to the fund was automatic.

Mr Goh said the assembly was yet to receive the first quarter of its share of the Common Fund this year, and there were plans to meet the leadership of PWDs to discuss issues concerning the fund. He explained that up to two per cent and not exactly two per cent of the assembly's share of the fund was to support PWDs.