The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dakoa Newman, has launched the revised version of the Guidelines for the Disbursement and Management of the District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities.
The Guidelines were launched on Thursday, September 12, 2024, during the closing conference of Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, a four-year disability and mental health advocacy programme.
The original Guidelines for the Disbursement and Management of the District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disability (2010) were adopted to regulate the management and disbursement of the fund by Disability Fund Management Committees.
In accordance with Sections 42 (1) and (2) of the Persons with Disability Act 715, these guidelines require Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), through the Disability Fund Management Committees, to submit regular reports on the management and disbursement of the fund. However, a review of the 2010 guidelines was deemed necessary to address emerging trends in disability inclusion and to ensure the guidelines adequately reflected the evolving needs of the disability community.
In 2018, the National Council for Persons with Disability, in collaboration with stakeholders, including 45 organisations of persons with disabilities and selected district assemblies, embarked on a comprehensive review process. This involved additional focus group discussions (FGDs) at the district level in 2021, with 95 individual stakeholders participating.
The revised guidelines incorporate numerous recommendations from stakeholders, including:
Complaints received by the National Council for Persons with Disability, concerns raised by the Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Parliament; feedback from Disability Fund Management Committees, Social Welfare and Community Development officials, entrepreneurs with disabilities, students with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities, and organisations of persons with disabilities.
Key features of the revised guidelines include: Standardised reporting format, inclusion of the Ghana Enterprises Agency on Disability Fund Management Committees to provide training for entrepreneurs with disabilities, and Special considerations for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.
It also includes recognition of the diverse needs of various categories of persons with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions.
Although finalised three years ago, the revised guidelines were not officially implemented due to a lack of ministerial approval. This delay was mainly due to ministerial challenges within the Social Protection Ministry.
The first Minister appointed in this second term of President Akufo-Addo’s government, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, was absent from her post for over one year. The ministry lacked a substantive minister until 2022, when President Akufo-Addo appointed Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu. Unfortunately, her tenure was relatively short-lived, as she was relieved of her duties on February 14, 2024, and replaced by Hon. Dakoa Newman.
The launch of the revised guidelines marks a significant step towards ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for persons with disabilities in Ghana. The updated guidelines will effectively manage and distribute the District Assembly Common Fund, supporting the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
They address the persistent misallocation of funds by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) by providing clear criteria for project selection and disbursement, ensuring funds benefit persons with disabilities directly, and strengthening accountability and transparency in resource management
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com