In an unprecedented move at the Ada East District Assembly on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, canopies set up for the disbursement of the District Assembly’s Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) stood largely empty. Intended beneficiaries staged a mass boycott, refusing to attend the event due to long-standing grievances.
Scheduled for 9 AM, the event eventually commenced after 1 PM, with fewer than 20 persons with disabilities showing up from the 156 registered beneficiaries in the district.
The low turnout forced Social Welfare Department officials to resort to a desperate measure: chasing beneficiaries into the night, attempting to deliver perishable items like fresh Tilapia, and sacks of okro and onions directly to their homes.
This mass refusal marked a significant departure from the norm. Typically, PWDs eagerly await the fund’s disbursement, recognising it as a crucial source of livelihood. However, this time, they boldly rejected the invitation, citing unresolved issues surrounding the procurement processes for distributed items.
While the Common Fund is intended to provide both cash and items for economic empowerment, the local Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has, in recent times, vocally challenged the Assembly’s procurement practices for the item component.
GFD executives have consistently demanded an open tender process for selecting suppliers, accusing the Assembly of engaging in undisclosed sole-sourcing where the identity of the supplier remains secret.
They argue that the Assembly’s current procurement model is largely counterproductive, consistently resulting in low quantities and/or poor quality of items, among other issues that fail to genuinely benefit PWDs.
Crucially, even as GFD leadership awaited the resolution of these issues by both the Fund Management Committee and the District Assembly, the Assembly proceeded to secretly procure items. They then arranged the disbursement ceremony, sending invitations directly to individual PWDs without the knowledge of their association leaders—or even the Chairman of the Fund Management Committee.
Remarkably, despite two prior tranches of releases made to the District Assembly’s coffers, this failed disbursement would have been the first since the current government assumed office earlier this year.
Mr. Theophilus Dugbatey Ayim, Chairman of the Fund Management Committee and a ranking member of the District Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Social Services, informed DisabilityNewsGH.com that he got information about the disbursement exercise only a day before the event.
He recounted confronting the District Social Welfare Officer by phone, demanding an explanation for organising such an event without involving PWD leadership, especially given the unresolved issues. However, Mr. Ayim said the officer failed to offer any meaningful explanation.
Consequently, the GFD leadership swiftly activated their communication network, successfully mobilising their members to stay away from the controversial event.
The federation’s collective action significantly crippled the event, forcing organisers into desperate attempts to coax a handful of members through phone calls, who eventually showed up after 1 PM.
When contacted, the Ada East District Social Welfare Officer, Mr. Enoch Bampoe Addy acknowledged the unresolved procurement concerns. However, he stated that this was solely the responsibility of the Assembly’s procurement department, offering no further details.
Mr. Theophilus Ayim described the situation as deeply disrespectful, not only to the leadership of the local GFD but to all persons with disabilities.
He issued a stern caution, emphasising that such unilateral actions jeopardise the very purpose of the District Assemblies Common Fund for PWDs, potentially eroding public trust and undermining commendable government efforts to improve their living conditions and quality of life across the nation.
In light of the escalating tensions, Mr. Ayim called for the swift intervention of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection to restore calm and order within the district’s fund management.
The District Assemblies Common Fund for PWDs, established in 2010, represents one of the government of Ghana’s pivotal social interventions.
In a bid to further improve the lives of PWDs, the current administration recently fulfilled a 2024 campaign promise by increasing the fund’s allocation from 3% to 5% of the Common Fund.
However, its disbursement over the years has been fraught with challenges. Notably among these are the widespread diversion of funds by many District Assemblies and undue delays in disbursement.
Disturbingly, the very Ada East District now in question has a documented instance where an able-bodied former District Chief Executive was improperly enlisted as a beneficiary and received funds twice.
These persistent systemic concerns are echoed by leaders across the nation. In a recent interview with DisabilityNewsGH.com, Mr. Stephen Gyan, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, lamented what he called a fundamentally flawed disbursement strategy and a pervasive lack of accountability plaguing the fund nationally.
The current situation in Ada East, alongside these broader criticisms,
highlights an urgent need for decisive intervention by the central government, particularly the ministry responsible for social welfare.
Such action is critical to ensure that persons with disabilities across the country truly derive the utmost benefits from this vital scheme, upholding its intended purpose of empowerment and inclusion.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
