GH₵47,112 DISBURSED TO PWDs IN BONGO DISTRICT 1st July, 2019

The Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region on Monday, disbursed a total of 47,112 Ghana Cedis to some 64 Persons With Disabilities [PWDs] selected from across the district. The amount came from the three percent [3%] allotment in the District Assemblies’ Common Fund that is set aside to help improve the lives of PWDs to enable them become active players in main stream society. This finds its foundation in Ghana’s Disability Act, 2006 – Act 715.

In his welcome remarks at the presentation ceremony, the District Director of Social Welfare and Community Development [SW-CD] Mr. John Azam, disclosed that GHc35,682.00 was disbursed to 25 beneficiaries in aid of income generation activities while educational support got a GHc3,158.00 allocation covering five recipients. He added that, apprenticeship trainees also received GHc3,512.00 and those that required assistance to seek medical services got GHc4,250.00 of the amount.

Mr. John Azam, Dist. Director - SW & CD speaking at the event

According to Mr. Azam, a portion of the total amount was also used to procure one brand new TVS motorbike for use by the Chapter President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations for administrative purposes. Meanwhile, two sewing machines, one industrial sewing machine, a digital recorder for a student beneficiary and 66 ruminants were also procured and distributed as requested by the qualified applicants.

He noted that the Disability Fund Management Committee [DFMC] often received huge volumes of applications that mostly exceeded the quantum of money in the Fund and so, the Committee had to do meticulous evaluation of applications before approvals could be made. He therefore appealed to PWDs in the area to always remain patient after submitting their applications to the DFMC.

Bongo District Chief Executive [DCE], Hon. Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga in his remarks said under his administration, items and issues were not imposed on the PWDs but rather, discussions were held with them especially the executives to know their peculiar needs or proposals for the use of their money. He recalled that this was about the fourth [4^th] in recent times that his Assembly was disbursing such funds to PWDs in such huge sums.

The DCE revealed that while some beneficiaries requested that start-up kits be procured for them, many others received cheques ranging from 200 Ghana Cedis to as much as 2000 Ghana Cedis per person depending on the assessment done on their needs and requests. He noted that before the New Patriotic Party assumed office, the Disability Fund used to be two percent [2%] of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund until President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo increased it to an appreciable three percent [3%]. He revealed that the Bongo Assembly in 2018, disbursed over 150,000 Ghana Cedis to several hundreds of PWDs from various zones across the district.  

Bongo DCE, Hon. Ayinbisa [in red smock] presenting the motorbike to the GFD Prez.

He also explained that as against the old practice in the past where physical cash was counted on the table and paid to beneficiaries with issues of wrong payments and missing Cedi notes, his administration introduced the cheque disbursement system to forestall such occurrences. Meanwhile, the cheque system also brings the beneficiaries into the formal banking system for them to familiarise themselves and to be able to access banking products such as loans.

Mr. Ayinbisa observed that a great deal of his constituents fell within the PWDs bracket and wished all of such people could get support from the Disability Fund at an any point in time but sadly, other competing developmental issues do not allow for so much to be allocated to the Fund. He therefore commended the DFMC for always being diligent in its work so as to ensure that, only persons with genuine needs accessed the funds.

He however dispelled some long-held perceptions that it was only registered members of known disability associations that could benefit from the fund and declared that any PWD could apply. He stressed that, as far as any applicant passed the assessment criteria, he or she was eligible to benefit from the Fund. He warned beneficiaries against misuse of the monies and hinted that, strict follow-ups will be done and culprits will forfeit future access to the fund.

For his part, Bongo Chapter President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations Mr. Clement Mba, thanked management of the Bongo Assembly for the timely release of funds to aid PWDs live decent lives and to conduct some businesses that makes them relevant in society. He also commended President Nana Addo for living up to his pledge by increasing the fund allocation from the previous 2% to 3%.

A cross section of the beneficiaries awaiting their monies

The GFDO president disclosed that his executives and members of the DFMC in recent times spent about 1,800.00 Ghana Cedis for carrying out sensitisation on radio and doing community outreach to educate PWDs and the general public on disability issues including the utilisation of the fund among other important issues relating to disabilities.