Accra: Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) against the misuse of funds allocated to Persons with Disability (PWDs). He emphasized that the resources must reach intended beneficiaries and not be diverted for other purposes. The Ministry plans to intensify monitoring of the utilisation of the PWD Fund to ensure compliance with established guidelines and uphold the welfare of persons living with disabilities.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minister made this statement during a monitoring and evaluation exercise aimed at assessing the performance of MMDAs following the disbursement of significant financial resources under the government's decentralisation agenda. The exercise sought to verify whether assemblies were effectively utilising their allocated funds and adhering to government guidelines. Selected Assemblies visited included the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, and the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly.
Mr. Ibrahim noted that while the disbursement of PWD funds had generally been on average, more attention was needed to ensure effective utilisation. He recalled that in the past, some Assemblies borrowed from the Fund for other activities, prompting reforms under the late President John Evans Atta Mills to establish separate accounts for the direct transfer of funds meant for persons with disabilities. Ensuring the proper use of the fund remains a priority because persons with disabilities represent a significant portion of the country's population.
Utilisation rates of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) varied across the country, with some assemblies recording expenditure levels above 50 per cent, while others performed significantly below expectations. The Minister attributed some delays in fund utilisation to procurement processes and the late issuance of generic authorisation by the Ministry of Finance, which affected the commencement of projects funded through the DACF.
The Minister called for greater transparency and accountability within assemblies, urging Coordinating Directors and Municipal Finance Officers to provide assembly members with timely access to information regarding funds received and expenditures made. He warned that officials who deliberately withheld information from assembly members or Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives would face sanctions, stressing that transparency is essential to effective local governance and the fight against corruption.
Mr. Ibrahim indicated that the monitoring exercise would continue in the coming days and expand to other regions to ensure that Assemblies made prudent use of public resources and delivered meaningful development projects to their communities.