Akrofuom Assembly lauded for upholding transparency in disbursement of Disability Fund

The Akrofuom District Assembly in the Ashanti Region has received commendations from persons living with disability in the district for maintaining transparency in the disbursement of the fund.

A member of the disability association in Akrofuom, Abena Kyerewaa, revealed that the Assembly since 2018 has consistently supported their members to improve their livelihoods.

At a short ceremony to hand over items procured through the district assemblies common fund to some persons living with disability, Ms Kyerewaa said she was particularly pleased with the mode through which the items are procured stressing that they are based on pressing needs of individual beneficiaries and not the wishes and assumptions of the Assembly.

By statute, 3% of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) quarterly released to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) is earmarked for Persons With Disability.

This fund goes to support economic activities; educational and health expenses; support disability organisations and purchase assistive devises and aids for persons with disability.

Until President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo increased the share to 3%, the allocation constituted 2% of the District Assembly Common Fund.

The Akrofuom District in their 3rd disbursement of the year donated fridges, wheelchairs, hairdryers and farm spraying machines to 13 persons living with disability to empower them economically. Some were also given medical and educational support.

The items were procured at the cost of GHC50,000.

Speaking to the media after the donation, the District Chief Executive of the Akrofuom District Assembly, Dr. Maurice Jonas Woode, said the Assembly has been diligent in releasing the disability fund to the beneficiaries since the district was created in 2018.

He said the Assembly undertakes periodic needs assessment to ascertain the pressing needs of the PWDs in the district.

He said the purpose of the fund is to empower the beneficiaries to improve their livelihoods.

Monitoring

To ensure the items donated are used for their intended purpose, the Akrofuom DCE said a committee has been set to monitor how the beneficiaries use the items received. He was quick to add that, in Akrofuom the items have contributed in eliminating begging on the streets.

“The feedback from our monitoring team is that the items donated have succeeded in changing the lives of the beneficiaries. Now, you hardly see disables begging on the streets,” Dr. Woode added.

He encouraged the recipients to utilize the items they had received to generate income and urged all persons with disabilities to register with the assembly to access future distributions.

The post Akrofuom Assembly lauded for upholding transparency in disbursement of Disability Fund first appeared on 3News.

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