Apam (C/R), May 3, GNA - The two per cent of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) meant for supporting the activities of the disabled would no longer be channelled through the Assemblies. A committee comprising Staff of the Department of Social Welfare and the Association of the Disabled would be in-charge of the management of the Fund.

Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, Gomoa West District Chief Executive (DCE) who made this known at a meeting at Apam at the weekend, said the decision to cede the Fund from the Assemblies was to ensure that it got to those it was meant for.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah, who is also the National President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), commended the government for taking "this wise decision".

He noted that due to pressure on the Assemblies they had not been releasing the funds to the disabled as demanded by law. "This decision has affirmed that President John Evans Atta Mills is not only the father for the able-bodied but also for the physically challenged," he said, and urged Ghanaians to rally behind the President for a better future.

The DCE announced that in spite of the ceded fund, the Gomoa West Assembly had voted GH¢3,000 to support the physically challenged and had also decided to pay for the premiums for disabled persons who had not been able to register with the Gomoaman Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, to enable them to access quality health care. Mr Peter Antwi Boasiako, District Coordinating Director, advised the disabled to refrain form the habit of going into the streets to beg for alms.

He urged them to take advantage of the Assembly's generosity to establish themselves in profitable ventures to earn a decent living. Mr Mark Nii Lamptey, Manager of the Gomoaman Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, indicated that there was no change in the premium of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

He said those who were going round saying the premium had been raised to GH¢600 were enemies of the Scheme who must not be tolerated. Mr Abekah Neizer, executive member of the Association of the Physically Challenged, repeated their appeal to the Government and District Assemblies to make public facilities, particularly toilets, friendly to people with disabilities.

He appealed to the DCE to help them to trace the whereabouts of an amount of GH¢1,200 realised in a fund-raising organised for the disabled in 2005, which had not got to them despite several demands made on the organisers.