Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region for more than a year now have not received their three percent share of the disability fund from the District Assembly Common Fund(DACF).
This was made knownduring the training of trainers’ workshop on civil rights and responsibilities of women, youth and PWDs relative to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), held atPaga in the Kassena-Nankana West District on Saturday.
The event, which was organised by the Research, Gender and Equality Department of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), with funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under its Green and Inclusive Recovery Project, was attended by youth and women groups and PWDs.
The President of the Federation of Disability Organisation (GFD) in charge of theKassena-Nankana West District, Mr Samuel Songojei Bendoore, who made the disclosure, said beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) have not also received their monies.
“From the last two quarters of 2020 and the whole of 2021, the District Assembly has not been able to disburse to PWDs their share of the DACF. We do not know why they have not made the transfers of the disability fund, but everything is being blamed on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the change of government,” he said.
Mr Bendoore indicated that the situation coupled with the adverse effects of COVID-19 was having a toll on the livelihood of vulnerable groups, compelling many to go into begging for alms to survive.
Assistant Director at the Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly, Mr Edward Akolgo, said that the Assembly had not received DACF from central government for the past four quarters, and assured the PWDs that when the Assembly receives the funds, it would be disbursed to them.
The Director of Research of NCCE in-charge of Gender and Equality, Dr Henrietta Asante-Sarpong, explained that the project with support from the UNDP was being implemented in five districts across the country, aimed at understanding the raging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, youth and PWDs, especially access to their fundamental human rights.
She noted that the training workshop was to empower leaders of the vulnerable groups to intend train their members on how to recover from the adverse effects of COVID-19 and be able to be able to enjoy their human rights and perform their civic responsibilities.
Dr Asante-Sarpong said COVID-19 had affected people’s access to sustainable livelihoods, quality education and healthcare.
Hesaid the vulnerable groups such as the women, youth and PWDs were the most affected and there was the need to help them recover and live dignified lives.
The National Communication Director of the NCCE, Madam Joyce Effutu, urged the participants to adhere to the COVID-19 protocol to prevent the spread of the virus.
Participants said that COVID-19 had deniedthem access to quality education and healthcare, and created unemployment among them.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, PAGA
