By Edward Williams
Ho, Sept. 6, GNA – The Women with Disability Development & Advocacy Organisation (WODAO), a disability friendly, advocacy and empowerment not-for-profit entity has held its fifth Annual General Meeting (AGM) with a call on members to fully participate in its activities.
The AGM for the organisation, constitutes an important mandate for its existence where major and strategic decisions are taken.
Ms Veronica Denyo Kofiedu, President, WODAO, in her address in Ho, disclosed the AGM was to fulfil their legal obligations as members of WODAO by taking important decisions for growth and approving all the relevant administrative policies that were developed for the smooth running of the organisation.
Ms Kofiedu said another decision was to review and approve the constitution of WODAO to align with the three-year strategic plan, which was developed.
She said the AGM also received reports on the annual activities implemented and financial reports.
Ms Kofiedu said the Meeting enabled members to learn about the new guidelines developed for the management and Disbursement of the three per cent District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), which was developed by the Disability Council in partnership with the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie.
Ms Kofiedu said the General Assembly (GA) of WODAO was the supreme policy-making organ of the Organisation and comprised of delegates from member organisations of Women and Girls with Disabilities in target districts in the Volta and Oti Regions.
She said some functions performed by the Assembly included approval of annual audited accounts and ratification of agreements made with other organisations and development partners.
She said the Assembly also elects the Board of Directors, approves membership and subscription fees, receives, considers, and approves reports of the Board and auditors and also ratify any agreement made between WODAO and other organisations.
Mr Divine Richard Bosson, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive pledged his personal and the Assembly’s support to WODAO and acknowledged the resoluteness of the organisation towards the welfare of women and girls with disabilities in a positive discourse.
He said WODAO should submit their action plans to the Municipality office for a possible collaboration going forward.
Madam Elikplim Klu, the President of the Volta Regional Ghana Federation of Disabled Organisation, who doubles as the board secretary of WODAO took her turn to educate members on the Disability issues.
She said women with disabilities should be active in their personal welfare, avoid domestic abuses, and speak truth to duty-bearers, the only way to seek redress and assistance.
Madam Klu warned members to avoid multiple applications for support and attempts to cross district boundaries for application was unacceptable and added that “there is no pension deadline for benefits of the Disability Common Fund and so they should ignore all misconceptions and untruths.”
She urged members to become whistle-blowers of individuals or institutions that would attempt to circumvent the standard procedures for their welfare, assuring them of laws backing their activities.
Madam Klu said the new guidelines were yet to be approved in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which is the three per cent DACF for PWDs.
She also talked about disbursements and their benefits on education, which catered for tertiary level and free health care, free NHIS, which also takes care of trade.
She said an account would be opened for the three per cent Disability Common Fund automatically from source and so going forward, the actual for PWDs would be known from source and be disbursed accordingly.
Mama Kuma II, Queenmother of Ho-Ahoe, thanked WODAO and the membership for their good works.
She entreated the group to aspire to higher heights saying disability was not inability, indicating anyone could be disabled at any point in time.
She urged them to thank God for the gift of life, sail through all difficulties successfully and be steadfast in the organization’s policies and give support to their leaders for the good the of Association.
The Ghana Somubi Dwumadie is a four-year disability programme being run with funding support from the UKAid under the partnership of ‘Options’ led consortium, consisting of Basic Needs Ghana, Kings College London, Sight Savers International and Tropical Health, with specific focus on mental health.
GNA