Accra: The Agona West Municipal Assembly has disbursed a total of GHC113,500 to 79 People with Disabilities (PWDs) to assist with their daily needs. This allocation is a portion of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) dedicated to supporting PWDs and their families.
According to Ghana News Agency, the recipients received amounts ranging between GHC1,000 and GHC2,000, while those pursuing further education were granted GHC4,000 each to aid their academic pursuits. During the disbursement ceremony, Mr. Eric Gyamfi Odoom, the Agona West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), emphasized the government's commitment, under President John Mahama, to improving the quality of life for PWDs in the municipality. The government plans to expedite the release of funds to further enhance their comfort.
Mr. Odoom urged the beneficiaries to utilize the funds appropriately, as stipulated by the Local Government Act 963 of the MMDAs, and not to misuse them. He noted that in the past, the assembly had provided valuable items such as refrigerators and corn milling machines to help PWDs generate income. However, this approach was abandoned after a monitoring team discovered that some recipients had sold these items at a fraction of their value, with a GHC10,000 deep freezer, for example, being sold for GHC3,000.
Mr. Odoom warned caregivers against exploiting PWDs, reminding them that disability can affect anyone and urging an end to stigmatisation. Mr. Robert Kobena Baah, Agona West Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, encouraged PWDs to invest their funds wisely to prevent wastage. He also announced that a monitoring team would soon assess how the recipients are utilizing the funds.
Expressing gratitude, Mr. Tanko Mohammed, President of the Agona West Federation of People with Disabilities, thanked the government for increasing the funds and ensuring regular disbursements to alleviate financial burdens. He expressed optimism that the increased educational grants would enable beneficiaries to pursue their studies without undue stress and urged them to remain diligent in their academic efforts.
