The administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), Irene Naa Torshie Addo has applauded the Vice President and the NPP’s Presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for his dedication towards the plight of persons with Disability.
The vice president, she said, has shown greater love for vulnerable persons with his resolve to ensure that their living conditions change for good by initiating actions to deal with the challenges they face.
The DACF Administrator, speaking to this paper after the commissioning of the Kayayei Hostel and training facility in Accra last Tuesday, said the dedication shown by the Vice President towards the project coupled with other personal support offers to PWDs shows a person who truly cares about the vulnerable in our society
She said the appointment of Hon. Joshua Makubu as the Campaign Coordinator for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs sums up DrBawumia’s commitment to building an all-inclusive Ghana where the energies and talents of all citizens are harnessed towards the development of the country and deserves high commendation.
According to him, through the advocacy of Dr. MahamuduBawumia, the percentage allocation for Persons with Disability under the DACF has been increased from 2% to 3%.
She said a Photo Album of persons with disability that captures their bio-data, a form of disability and the kind of support needed has been done in all 262 MMDAs.
According to NaaTorshie, this has led to efficient and effective disbursement of these funds to meet specific needs and ensure high accountability of the support.
The Vice President, earlier this month announced plans to provide free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Dr. Bawumia stressed that he is committed to supporting vulnerable members of society because “it gives him joy.”
He added that as a Patron of Lepers Aid Ghana, he has been engaged in many activities supporting the vulnerable people. His government, he said, will prioritize broader support for persons with disabilities and vulnerable members of society.
Dr. Bawumia’s pledge to provide free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by promoting inclusive and equitable access to education for all and ensuring no one is left behind.
Dr. Bawumiastated, “I believe that for persons with disabilities, we need to support them a bit more.”
“We are giving scholarships to all manner of people but I want to dedicate some of the money from the Scholarship Secretariat and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to provide free tertiary education, both tuition and accommodation to all persons with disabilities who will make it into the universities so that they can all benefit from that,” he added.
The Vice President at the commissioning of the Kayayei project disclosed that 5,000 Kayayei would receive training in modules including baking, beading, personal health care, financial management, and entrepreneurial skills over three weeks.
He assured that there will also be a post-training support whereby each participant receives a starter pack to facilitate their integration into new economic opportunities.
The programme’s infrastructure includes the establishment of two hostels designed to accommodate 300 girls each, equipped with modern training facilities and sanitary amenities. Further hostels are under construction in the Ashanti and Bono East regions.
Vice President Bawumia disclosed ongoing discussions with Metro Mass and Ayalolo to teach driving skills and provide ICT training, further expanding the programme’s scope.
The DACF Administrator called on Ghanaians to supportDrBawumia to win the 2024 presidential election to be able to offer more support for both PWDs and vulnerable groups in the country