Activity Post

The Upper East Regional Minister Rockson Ayine Bukari launches French Embassy solidarity project

• September 27, 2017,
• Venue Bolgatanga, Ghana.

TEERE in partnership with the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations with funding from the French Embassy in Ghana launched a project on the 27th September, 2017 dubbed “Promoting Transparency and Accountability in the management, disbursement procedures and Utilization of the 2% (now 3%) District Assembly common fund allocated to persons with disabilities”.

This project is to ensure that persons with disabilities fully benefit from the 3% DACF allocated to them in the 7 selected districts in the Upper East Region.

In the welcome address at the event, the CEO of TEERE, Professor Avea Nsoh Ephraim welcomed all the participants including the Regional Minister and the Representative of the French Ambassador. The CEO went on to bemoan the serious challenges that confront the Funds especially the mismanagement and lack of transparency. He posed the question “Why will we allow funds allocated to such a very disadvantaged and vulnerable group to be so poorly managed when we ourselves identified and committed these funds to these persons?”
The President of Ghana Federation of Disability, Mr. Aniah David also gave his speech centered on the community entry report which he decried the way in which the 3% DACF for Disabilities was mismanaged. He also said the fund lacked the necessary procedures to ensure accountability and transparency. He also bemoaned the level at which Assemblies borrowed from the funds without due procedures. Mr. Aniah said “the GFD district branch in the Builsa South also reported that between 2010 and 2016, they have benefited only once from the disability fund”. He therefore recommended that all Assemblies must be mandated to provide quarterly bank statements on the state of the disability fund to the Disability Management committee and also introduce the cheque or pay order system.

The Representative of the French Embassy in Ghana, Marion Chapon also reiterated the commitment of the Embassy to provide all the necessary support to make this project for Disabilities a success. She also called for all the Assemblies to provide their support to TEERE and GFD to implement this project. Madam Chapon said “the concern to offer people with disabilities, and among them women who are often most vulnerable, a better access to the Fund dedicated to them with a purpose of educational and socio-professional integration, is in line with the priority objectives of the French Solidarity Program”.

The Regional Minister, Hon. Bukari Rockson welcomed everyone to the Upper East Region. He expressed his happiness that such a Project to help people with disabilities was been launched in his Region. He said he was committed to making sure the disabilities Fund in all the Assemblies are well managed and accountability to the stakeholders is made frequently.

The project was duly launched by the Regional Minster, Representative of French Ambassador, the GFD President and CEO of TEERE at a very colourful event.