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MMDAs urged to involve less privileged in COVID-19 recovery programs

Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) have been urged to actively involve the less privileged in their COVID-19 recovery programs.

Date Created : 9/20/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Jerry Azanduna/Ghanadistricts.com

Mr.David Bagonluri-Paapa, the Executive Director of Women Integrated Development Organisation (WIDO), a non-governmental organisation, said the active involvement of people with disability (PWDs) and the youth would help to sustain the fight against the pandemic.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Techiman in the Bono East Region, he said the NGO focused on promoting the socio-economic development of women.

He said his organisation sought funding from the Commonwealth Foundation in the United Kingdom to undertake a project in the wake of the pandemic in 2021, dubbed: “Enhancing Participation for Effective COVID-19 Response”.

Concerns raised by a cross-section of the people in deprived communities in the Bono East and Upper West regions indicate that the less privileged were not privy to the implementation of some COVID-19 recovery programs, "he said".

Mr Bagonluri-Paapa said the NGO carried out a survey in selected communities at the Techiman North District and the Techiman South Municipality as well as parts of the Upper West Region on COVID-19 awareness under the project.

Out of the 2,000 vulnerable women, who were reached, 80 per cent declined knowledge of initiatives by the Government to stem the spread of the virus and alleviate the plight of the citizenry.

This includes the COVID-19 Alleviation Program Support Scheme, and weak collaboration between the Ghana Enterprise Agency and the National Commission for Civic Education in the implementation of the scheme.

That notwithstanding, Mr. Bagonluri-Paapa said the free meals for junior high schools was considered the most impactful intervention for the vulnerable, compared to free water and electricity.

“Many rural dwellers that lacked pipe-borne water did not benefit from the free water provision under the COVID-19 social intervention program”, he added.

He called for bridging the implementation gaps, which led to limited participation by vulnerable people in society and urged the MMDAs to engage the PWDs and other identifiable groups in future interventions.