PWDs & AIDS Patients Get GH¢31M

Government has released Twenty Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Ghana Cedis, Thirty Four Ghana Pesewas (GH¢128,831,542.34) to settle payment for allocation for Persons With Disability (PWD) Support under the District Assembly Common Fund.

In the same vein, another sum of Two Million and Ninety Thousand, Four Hundred and Twelve Cedis, Twenty four Ghana Pesewas (GH¢2,090,412.24), which also represents allocations for the fourth quarter of 2016, and the first, second and third quarters of 2017 for Persons Living With HIV/AIDS, has been released to the assemblies by government, making a total sum of GH¢30,921,954.58.

This was announced by Hon. Irene Naa Torshie Addo, Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund Secretariat in a release to the media on Friday.

A regional breakdown of the allocation is as follows: GH¢1,554,245.96 (Western Region), GH¢1,433,327.31 (Central Region), GH¢S1,597,488.38 (Greater Accra Region), GH¢1,788,146.21 (Eastern Region), GH¢1,742,880.15 (Volta Region), GH¢2,291,138.33 (the Ashanti Region), GH¢1,932,510.28 (Brong Ahafo Region), GH¢1,764,650.86 (Northern Region), GH¢718,710.07 (Upper West Region) and GH¢15,618,027.26 (Upper East Region).

According to the Administrator, all District Chief Executives and Members of Parliament are required to be part of the implementation and monitoring of the PWD/HIV programmes in their districts and constituencies for efficiency and effectiveness.

This, she noted, would help provide employment opportunities, alleviate poverty and create economic empowerment opportunities for People with Disabilities.

Other directives stressed in the release are that: “All MMDAs must conform to the guidelines; Equip the over 50 PWDs registered in their assemblies in economic and business ventures, and provide them with working tools and equipment such as freezers, sewing machines, corn-mills, pop-corn machines, barbering tools, welding and carpentry machines, shoe makers kits, hair dryers, spraying machines among others to enable them get themselves established.

“The MMDAs are also cautioned to reserve 10% of the Common Fund for school fees and training whilst reserving an additional 10% for medicals and assistive devices”.

Concluding, the release encouraged all MMDCEs to ensure the smooth running of the Fund and also report to the office of the District Assemblies Common Fund details regarding the disbursement, including the names of beneficiaries, their locations and the supports provided.