Irregular release of Common Fund affecting the education of visually-impaired—Blind Union

The Ghana Blind Union (GBU), in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region, has decried the irregular release of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), saying the situation is affecting access to education for the visually-impaired in the area.

Mr Mohammed Zakaria, Public Relations Officer of GBU, in the Savelugu Municipality, who bemoaned the situation, said there was no school for the visually-impaired in the region, adding this coupled with the irregular release of DACF meant that many visually-impaired children of school-going age remained in the house.

He said, “The Savelugu Municipal Assembly, just like any other Assembly, is not fast-tracking the release of funds to the visually-impaired to pay their schools fees to enable them to acquire formal education for their future development to prevent street begging.

He was speaking at a district durbar held at Savelugu for GBU members to engage duty-bearers and other stakeholders in the Savelugu Municipality on relevant issues affecting their livelihoods.

This is to ensure that community members appreciated what they could do to support GBU members to attain their full potential.

The durbar was organised as part of the Anti-Stigma and Discrimination Against Blind (ASDAB) project, which seeks to create a positive culture of support and care for blind persons, including people with mental health conditions to have access to basic, equitable and quality health care in the region.

The ASDAB project also seeks to promote the use of positive languages in communities and public spaces to reduce stigmatisation and discrimination against blind and partially sighted persons as well as promote the use of positive languages on persons with disability in the region.

It formed part of the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie programme, which is funded by UKaid, and it is being implemented by the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development (CALID), a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with the Northern Regional branch of GBU.

Members of GBU are part of the persons with disability, who benefit from three per cent of the DACF, which is paid quarterly to the Assemblies across the country.

However, the DACF is always in arrears, which implies inadequate funds to support the livelihoods of persons with disability in the country.

Mr Zakaria said, “There is no school in the Northern Region for the visually impaired. The nearest school is in the Upper West Region. So, if an Assembly is not forthcoming with the funds to support visually-impaired children to go to the school when you ask somebody to send his child to the school from the Northern Region to the Upper West Region, the distance alone is discouraging; a lot of money.”

“So, if the Assembly is forthcoming with the funds, it will encourage those parents to also send their children to the Upper West Region to acquire formal education.”

He also appealed to stakeholders to include the visually impaired in decision-making at all levels to contribute their quota to national development.

Alhaji Saani Sayibu, Savelugu Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare, said the Department prioritised the education of the visually impaired urging them to register and apply to the Department for funds under the DACF to pay their school fees.

Alhaji Sayibu said the Department had established a hotline, urging persons with disabilities to rely on the hotline to reach the Department about their challenges for the necessary support.

Mr Mohammed Awal Sumani Bapio, Executive Director of CALID, emphasised the need for all stakeholders in society, including chiefs, religious leaders and community and family members, to support blind people in their areas to reach their potential.

Meanwhile, similar district durbars will be held in the Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies later in the month.

GNA