Ada East Assembly orders further probe into PWD Common Fund over management issues

The General Assembly of the Ada East District Assembly has directed its ad hoc committee investigating the management of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Common Fund to conduct further investigations before submitting a final report for adoption.

 The decision was taken at the assembly's first ordinary meeting after members concluded that the committee's preliminary report lacked sufficient evidence and could not support informed decision-making.

 The investigation was prompted by worries about how the PWD Common Fund was being managed, especially regarding the purchase of items for beneficiaries instead of giving them cash as the Fund Management Committee had supposedly approved. 

The committee alleged that the District Coordinating Director instructed the Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development to procure items rather than distribute cash.

However, the Coordinating Director denied issuing such a directive, explaining that she only offered professional advice and had not instructed anyone to disregard the committee's decision.

The conflicting accounts prompted assembly members to call for further investigations supported by documentary evidence and testimonies from all relevant parties.

The committee said its work had been constrained after several key officers failed to honour invitations to appear before it, resulting in only two out of five scheduled sittings being held.

It explained that the preliminary report was prepared based mainly on evidence from the chairman of the Fund Management Committee, the director of Social Welfare, who serves as secretary to the committee, and a supplier interviewed by telephone.

To strengthen the credibility of the investigation, the Presiding Member, Mr Philip Achia, volunteered to join the committee during the remaining phase of the inquiry and pledged to finance its next sitting after members disclosed that they had funded earlier hearings themselves.

The committee is expected to hold its final sitting on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, with the Director of Social Welfare, Procurement Officer, Chairman of the Fund Management Committee, suppliers and beneficiaries expected to appear with relevant documents.

The assembly is expected to convene an emergency meeting afterwards to consider the committee's final report and take decisions to facilitate the release of the delayed PWD Common Fund.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Ayiku Akuaku, the Ada East District President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), expressed disappointment over the delay, saying many persons with disabilities continued to face economic hardship while awaiting the fund’s release.

He appealed to the assembly to expedite the investigation to enable beneficiaries to access the support intended for them.

GNA