Parliamentary Committee Questions Delay in Releasing PWD Funds by Assemblies

Mrs. Queenster Pokuah Sawyerr, Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has voiced strong concerns regarding the delayed disbursement of funds designated for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

These funds, sourced from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), are intended to bolster the livelihoods of PWDs by enabling them to pursue trade, business, and other income-generating ventures. Sawyerr highlighted that numerous assemblies within the Eastern Region have yet to release these critical funds, despite having them in their accounts. "Every district so far in the Eastern Region has some monies sitting in its accounts, and I don’t know why," she stated during a monitoring exercise in Koforidua.

Adding to the concerns, the committee has identified significant discrepancies in how DACF funds are allocated across different assemblies, with some receiving as little as GH¢500,000 while others get close to GH¢20 million. Assemblies exhibiting irregularities in fund management and accounting have been summoned to appear before the committee within the next two weeks to address these issues. The committee also acknowledged broader development challenges in the Eastern Region, including infrastructure deficits and sanitation problems, while assuring that efforts would be made to address issues like flooding and poor road networks.

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Every district so far in the Eastern Region has some monies sitting in its accounts, and I don’t know why. These funds should be disbursed to the beneficiaries.