The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has commended DisabilityNewsGH.com for its sustained reporting on the management of the Disability Common Fund in Ada East and Ashaiman.
The commendation came during a visit by the GFD national secretariat to the two districts to engage local disability leaders and Assembly officials on concerns surrounding the fund.
According to the Federation, the consistent publication of reports by DisabilityNewsGH kept the issues in the public domain and contributed to its decision to intervene last week.
Ada East: Agreement to proceed with 2026 disbursement
After its engagement with the Ada East District Assembly, the GFD said both parties had agreed to begin processes for the disbursement of the 2026 allocations while the dispute over the 2025 disbursement awaits a decision by the General Assembly.
The General Assembly of the district had commissioned an investigation into the 2025 disbursement following concerns by beneficiaries.
Under the agreed roadmap, new applications will be assessed and vetted before a date is fixed for disbursement.
Both parties agreed that the 2025 matter must still be considered by the General Assembly.
The 2025 dispute centres on allegations that approved cash support was replaced with physical items, some of which beneficiaries described as unsuitable or of low value.
DisabilityNewsGH has published 19 articles on the Ada East matter since December 2025, including independent investigations.
Ashaiman: Reporting prompts corrective action
In Ashaiman, DisabilityNewsGH has published nine articles since its first investigative report on August 23, 2026, documenting concerns over the quality of equipment supplied and tax deductions from grants.
The reporting has already prompted action. After DisabilityNewsGH reported that a printer supplied to a physically disabled graphic designer had broken down within two months of receipt, the Assembly arranged for its repair within days. The beneficiary had previously sought assistance without success.
Similarly, the Assembly has stopped the disputed deductions from beneficiaries’ grants in a subsequent disbursement.
RTI requests and next steps
On September 4, 2026, DisabilityNewsGH filed a Right to Information (RTI) request with the Ada East District Assembly under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
A separate request was filed to the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly on September 22, 2026, seeking records relating to the disbursements. The Assemblies are yet to respond to the requests, beyond the 14-day statutory period under Act 989.
DisabilityNewsGH says it intends to petition the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for independent examination of the issues raised.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
