Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has vowed to prioritize the needs of Persons With Disability (PWD) should they be elected in the upcoming general elections.
According to him, the next NDC government will increase the allocation given to such persons under the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
The former President says the move has become necessary following what he says is the reduction of the Disability Fund by the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. Mr Mahama claims the ruling NPP has reduced the disability share of the DACF, from 7.5 to five percent.
Addressing a gathering at the Wa Naa’s palace on his four-day tour of the Upper west Region, the former President promised that persons with “Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), we are going to increase the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) share that is given to the disabled.”
He also noted that improper disbursement of funds is one of the major problems worsening the plights of PWD’s and added that when the party increases the DACF from five percent back to 7.5, the share that goes to disabled persons will also increase proportionality.
He faulted the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who have failed to prioritize the disbursement of the disability Fund.
To solve the issue, Mr Mahama disclosed that a Board of Trustees will be formed and chaired by PWDs to manage a special account for the disbursement of funds.
“And so when we come, we are going to prioritize the disability Fund. We are going to create a Fund which will be separate from the DACF. When the DACF comes, the share of the disabled will be paid into a specialized account and they will have a Board of Trustees formed by the disabled persons themselves who will be responsible for disbursing that Fund.”
“50 percent of the fund will go as monthly stipends to disabled persons. The other 50 per cent of the Fund will be invested in programmes and projects that will benefit persons with disability but they will determine how they want to use their money,” he added.
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I’m Deborah Aba Narkoah. I’m an avid reader, writer and public speaker.
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