pwd training

On Wednesday, 15th May 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development of the Denkyembour District Assembly organized a one-day training workshop aimed at enhancing the knowledge and capacity of stakeholders involved in the disbursement and management of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) allocation for Persons with Disability (PWD). The workshop was convened at the District Assembly Hall in Akwatia and attracted participants from various sectors including selected persons with disability, Heads of Departments and other stakeholders.

The workshop commenced with opening remarks from the esteemed District Chief Executive for the Denkyembour District Assembly, Honorable Seth Birikorang Ofosu. His speech emphasized the significance of inclusivity and the commitment of the assembly towards the welfare of Persons with Disability within the district. He urged all participants to carefully listen to all the presentations attentively and also teach their other colleagues on the knowledge that would be acquired during the training. He also expressed his gratitude to team from the Regional Directorate of Social Welfare and Community Development for also honouring the district’s invitation to impart knowledge on participants.

Madam Deborah Daisy Kwabea, the Regional Social Welfare Director, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the importance of disability inclusion in development initiatives. She highlighted the need for equal opportunities and accessibility for Persons with Disability across all sectors.

Madam Vera Allotey, the Regional Community Development Director, outlined the composition and roles of the PWD Fund Management Committee. Her presentation provided clarity on the structure responsible for overseeing the allocation and utilization of funds earmarked for Persons with Disability. Disability Fund Management Committee. She mentioned that each MMDA shall form a special committee called Disability Fund Management Committee (DFMC), for the purposes of managing and disbursing the District Assembly Common Fund for persons with disabilities. She added that the membership of the committee shall be made up of six core members which were the National Council on Persons with Disability District Officer, The Chairperson of Social Services Sub-committee, District Director for Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, two (2) representatives from Ghana Federation of Disability Organization of which one (1) must be a female and the District Director of Ghana Enterprises Agency. She additionally outlined the roles of each member of the committee.

 

Mr Adams Donkor presented detailed guidelines governing the disbursement and management of the District Assembly Common Fund specifically allocated for Persons with Disability. His session focused on ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficiency in fund utilization.  She began her presentation with how to access to District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with disabilities. She mentioned that The District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities shall be accessed by individuals who are persons with disabilities and are not working in the public/formal sector or not in any gainful employment activity, mothers/ caregivers of persons with disabilities, self-help groups and persons with mental health conditions and persons with disabilities who are not members of any organization of persons with disabilities. She added that any person who is considered as a person with disability as described in Schedule B in the guidelines qualify to access the fund. She also outlined the steps which one must go through to access the fund. She finally outlined the allocation under the thematic areas for disbursement. She mentioned that the disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund for persons with disabilities shall be guided by 50% being allocated for economic empowerment, 10% being allocated for education and training, 15% being allocated for medicals and assistive device, 10% being allocated to parents and/or caregivers of persons with disabilities who are not in a position to work due to the daily care of their children/wards with disabilities, 10% being allocated to advocacy, organizational development and OPDs and 5% for administrative cost of the DFMC.

 

Madam Vera Allotey revisited the roles and responsibilities of key actors involved in the disbursement and management process. Her presentation emphasized the collaborative efforts required from various stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of initiatives aimed at benefiting Persons with Disability. In her presentation she mentioned that the first key actor was the National Council on Persons with Disability which was responsible for the overall monitoring of the Fund’s management and disbursement and also receiving notice of quarterly releases to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, from the Office of the District Assembly Common Fund and circulate same to relevant organizations in the disability sector. The second key actor was the National Council on Persons with Disability District Officer which was also responsible for sensitizing all relevant stakeholders at the district level on the District Assembly Common Fund for persons with disabilities and presenting quarterly report on the management and disbursement of the Fund to the Executive Secretary of the National Council on Persons with Disability. The next actor which she highlighted was the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations which was mandated to participate effectively in the entire disbursement process and advocate compliance with the Guidelines and respect for the use of the Fund. Another important actor was the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development & the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection which were to ensure compliance with the guidelines and respect to the use of the Fund, support National Council Persons with Disability to compile and keep records on disaggregated data of persons with disabilities including children with multiple disabilities and their caregivers and link them to NHIS and LEAP and monitor and track school children and non-schoolchildren with disabilities at the district and community levels. Another actor she mentioned was the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development which were to participate effectively in the entire disbursement process, ensure compliance with the guidelines and respect for the use of the Fund and report breaches and violations of directives with respect to the Fund to the National Council on Persons with Disability. The last actor she stressed on was the Ghana Enterprises Agency which was mandated to participate effectively in the entire disbursement process, ensure compliance with the Guidelines and respect for the use of the Fund and report breaches and violations of directives with respect to the Fund to the National Council on Persons with Disability.

 

The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Mr Aaron Otoo, the District Coordinating Director for the Denkyembour District Assembly. He expressed gratitude to all participants for their active engagement and reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and improving the welfare of Persons with Disability within the district.