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Wa, Ghana – The Disability Fund Management Committee of the Social Welfare at the Wa Municipal Assembly on Tuesday disbursed an amount of fifty-three thousand Ghana cedis (GHS53,000.00) to help better the lives of some Persons Living With Disability (PWDs).
The money, which was taken from the PWD share of the District Assembly’s Common Fund was distributed based on applications received from the beneficiaries.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Issahaku Tahiru Moomin, speaking to newsmen at the event, disclosed that the Assembly had registered 1,215 persons living with various forms of disabilities, but that 59 were set to benefit for now.
He said all cannot be covered for the time being due to financial constraints, and urged beneficiaries to spend their monies judiciously.
The MCE further indicated that the Social Services Sub-Committee including himself would follow up to ensure the monies were put to good use.
According to Alhaji Moomin, one hundred and twenty three thousand Ghana cedis (GHS123,000.00) had been received for the Disability Fund account which covered four quarters including the last quarter of 2016 and the first three quarters of 2017.
“It is from this amount that the initial disbursement to beneficiaries is being made, thereby leaving a balance of seventy thousand Ghana cedis (GHS70,000.00)”, he explained.
Alhaji Moomin also hinted on a vocation training programme for disabled persons in the Municipality which was scheduled for this month, March 2018.
“This programme is expected to be funded from the remainder of the payments received. The target for the programme is to train and equip about 400 PWDs with skills on various vocations to serve as sources of livelihoods for them”, he said.
He added that the Assembly will help in sourcing market for their products after the training to ensure that efforts in the production process are not wasted.
Addressing the media, Chairman of the Social Services Sub-Committee of the Wa Municipal Assembly, Yakubu Umar Yaarun revealed that the amount given to each of the 59 beneficiaries was dependent on the purpose indicated in his/her application, adding that the highest amount for a beneficiary was GHS2,000.00 and the least being GHS300.00.
Mr Yaarun emphasized that the monies were for the disabled and must be shared among them openly for transparency.
He also called on the beneficiaries to invest the monies in the respective areas as indicated in their proposals efficiently to improve their lives.
On his part, president of the Regional Disability Network, Mohammed Saani expressed his joy at witnessing the event to support members with various amounts to engage them in businesses.
He urged members who did not benefit not to loose hope because they were planning to liaise with the Assembly to ensure that they all benefit from the fund.
Mr Saani said before now, they were sad, especially so because they received nothing from central government for the whole of 2017, and applauded government’s decision to increase the fund by 1 percent.
Government in 2017 announced an increase in the Disability Fund from 2 percent to 3 percent although monies were never paid to the fund.
By savannahnewsonline.com
