Contribution of the Disability Fund to the Well-Being of Beneficiaries in the East Akim Municipality

Abstract

Persons with Disability (PWDs) in Ghana face a lot of challenges in meeting their basic needs as a result of their limited access to services and opportunities on an equal basis with others. Evidence of their challenges is seen on our streets where many of them solicit alms as a way of surviving. Successive governments have responded to the call to give special consideration to PWDs by providing them with assistance that will relieve them from poverty. In view of this, PWDs are allocated a percentage of the District Assemblies Common Fund called the Disability fund to enable them to be self-reliant. The study examined the contribution of the Disability fund to the wellbeing of the beneficiaries in the East Akim Municipal Assembly. Specifically, this study looked at the role played by the Municipal Assembly in the effective management of the Disability fund, the pattern of disbursement of the Disability Fund, the amount released, and finally the study assessed the significance of the Fund to the wellbeing of PWDs in the municipality. The study’s findings showed that the funds have been helpful to solving some of the needs of PWDs. Through the Disability Fund, many PWDs have been able to set up or expand their business, the Fund has supported their education and health needs etc. The Fund has been very useful to PWDs who have acquired technical and vocational skills. The main challenge, however, is that funds allocated are not enough for the number of PWDs in the municipality, hence the amount given per individual is not enough to fully establish PWDs so as to care for themselves. There are also poor information channels from Fund managers to PWDs making it difficult for PWDs to access information about the Funds. The monitoring of the utilization of the Disability Fund has not been very effective due to the small number of fund managers. The study recommends more sustainable interventions such as investment in skills development programmes for PWDs.