Following DisabilityNewsGH.com’s exposure of financial irregularities in the management of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Common Fund, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ashaiman, Hon. Freeman Tsekpo, has attempted to defend the Assembly’s actions with misleading and legally flawed arguments.
Speaking in an interview on GBC Radio on Monday, August 24, 2026, the MCE made inaccurate assertions about the case of Mr Anthony Kwaku Appiah, a disabled graphic designer whose approved GH₵5,000 grant was used to procure a GH₵2,300 desktop printer, while also attempting to justify municipal-wide “tax” deductions from disability grants.
An investigative fact-check by DisabilityNewsGH.com shows that the MCE’s claims are factually untrue and misrepresent Ghanaian tax law.
During the interview, Hon. Tsekpo advanced two main claims and a defence of the Assembly’s 7% deductions:
Claim 1: Mr Appiah Provided Specifications for EPSON Printer
MCE’s Claim: Hon. Tsekpo alleged that Mr Appiah was informed that government policy does not support the purchase of used items and subsequently provided the Assembly with specifications for the EPSON EcoTank L3251 printer that was procured.
The Facts: This claim is false. Mr Appiah never provided specifications for an EPSON EcoTank L3251 printer, nor did he request it.
DisabilityNewsGH.com’s investigation confirmed that Mr Appiah specifically requested a heavy-duty foreign-used commercial printer. The Assembly unilaterally purchased the light-duty EPSON printer, which was unsuitable for his business.
Even if Mr Appiah was informed that a used printer was not permissible, the Assembly should have procured a brand new equivalent of the robust commercial machine he required, not a cheaper, unfit alternative.
Furthermore, the MCE’s claim fails to address why an approved budget of GH₵5,000 resulted in a printer procured at GH₵2,300, leaving GH₵2,700 unaccounted for.
Claim 2: Assembly Was Unaware of Printer Breakdown Until August 24
MCE’s Claim: Hon. Tsekpo stated that Monday, August 24, 2026, was the first time the Assembly became aware of Mr Appiah’s printer breakdown.
The Facts: This claim is false. DisabilityNewsGH.com confirmed that Mr Appiah reported the faulty machine long before the interview.
Both the Municipal Social Welfare Director, Vida Adjumani, and the Disability Fund Management Committee Chairman, Joshua Addi, confirmed to DisabilityNewsGH.com that Mr Appiah had reported the faulty machine to them earlier.
On the 7% deductions, Hon. Tsekpo said: “We all know that when you’re buying an item, there are tax components on the prices. So VAT does not discriminate, so it applies to all items, including items bought for persons with disabilities. What I came to inherit is that, beneficiaries were given cheques to go and procure the items and later bring the receipts to the Assembly. That gave them the chance to pocket some of the monies. But I have directed that they should depart from such practices and because they’re not getting those monies again, that is why they’re making this an issue.
The MCE’s defence is legally flawed for three reasons:
1. VAT Is Included in the Price, Not Deducted From the Grant: While VAT is a component of the market price of goods and is included in the price a supplier charges the Assembly, the Assembly cannot deduct VAT from the approved PWD Common Fund allocation itself.
If an allocation is GH₵5,000, the beneficiary must receive the full value as cash or as an item worth GH₵5,000.
ASHMA’s practice of deducting 7% – for example, giving GH₵2,790 from a GH₵3,000 allocation – is an illegal reduction of the grant.
2. DACF Guidelines Forbid Deductions: The Guidelines for Management and Disbursement of the District Assemblies Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities are unambiguous: “No administrative charges, bank charges, or tax deductions should be made from the fund.”
The full approved amount must reach the beneficiary. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has confirmed that DACF allocations are not taxable income.
3. Defence Exposes Past Failures: The MCE’s argument that beneficiaries “pocketed money” under the old cheque system exposes a past procurement failure by ASHMA itself.
The DACF guidelines mandate Assemblies to procure items directly for beneficiaries, not to issue cheques for them to procure themselves.
While correcting this to direct procurement is a positive step, it must be done for the full approved amount, not a reduced value after an illegal 7% deduction.
This systematic 7% deduction, exposed by DisabilityNewsGH.com’s intercepted internal document, affects dozens of PWDs, including Mr Appiah:
Substandard Items: PWDs receive cheaper, unfit equipment because their approved budget has been illegally reduced.
Missing Funds: Thousands of Ghana Cedis, illegally deducted, remain unaccounted for by ASHMA officials.
Ruined Livelihoods: Entrepreneurs like Mr Appiah are left stranded, losing customers and income due to procurement negligence.
The MCE’s public misrepresentations and the systematic deductions underscore the need for external intervention.
DisabilityNewsGH.com renews its call on the Ministry of Local Government, Chietaincy and Religious Affairs, the Audit Service, the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to launch a forensic audit into ASHMA’s Disability Fund accounts.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
