3% allocation of Common Fund to PWDs is woefully inadequate; Social Worker

A Social Worker has stated that  the 3 percent allocation of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to the Disability Fund is woefully inadequate compared to the loads of requests received by the Fund Management Committee from the recipients.

Mrs. Esther Apraku Nyarko, the Kumasi Metropolitan Director of the Social Welfare Department and Community Development, acknowledged that government’s provision of physical infrastructure like roads, airports and hospitals were good, but explained that proper social protection must include making adequate provisions for those marginalized groups to enable them properly integrate into society.

The Director made these observations at a Sensitisation Programme organised by the department in Kumasi last week, Wednesday, on issues of disabilities as captured under the Persons With Disability Act, 2006, Act 715.

The workshop which was meant to enlighten the public including even some stakeholders to better understand issues with persons with disability, attracted participants from the Social Welfare, Ministry of Health, National Youth Authority, Civic Education and the media, among others.

Mrs. Apraku Nyarko said there are different descriptions and categories of disability and advised the public to refrain from referring to persons with disability as disabled.

The Social Welfare Director emphasised that funds allocated for disbursement to persons with disability were not meant for sharing but to be disbursed based on proper assessment of needs of every applicant.

She also appealed to the public to consider donating items to the Social Welfare Department just as they do the orphanages and special homes.

The Deputy Metropolitan Coordinating Director, Mrs. Yvonne Naboo, who chaired the workshop remarked that it was an opportunity for the participants to know more about disability issues as there are many people who do not know what disability issues were about.

From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Kumasi

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