The Government of Ghana has announced the disbursement of GHS 265,220,000.00 under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme for the 94th and 95th payment cycles. The bi-monthly cash grant will benefit 350,000 households across 260 metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies nationwide.
At a press conference today, Hon. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey (Ph.D.), Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, confirmed that the joint payment will commence on March 24, 2025. The LEAP Programme provides financial assistance to vulnerable groups, including orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), persons with severe disabilities (PWSD), elderly persons aged 65 and above, and extremely poor pregnant women with infants under one year.
The amount disbursed per household is determined by the number of eligible members in the household:
A detailed breakdown of household membership by eligibility categories reveals the following distribution:
- Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC)– 45%
- Persons with severe disabilities (PWSD)– 17%
- Aged 65+ and beyond– 27%
- Extremely poor pregnant women and infants under one year– 11%
The individual beneficiaries are distributed as follows:
- Female– 55%
- Male– 45%
By household head count, the distribution is:
- Female-headed households– 62%
- Male-headed households– 38%
The LEAP Programme is a crucial social intervention that supports poverty reduction and human capital development. Minister Agnes Lartey urged beneficiaries to use the funds for essential needs such as nutrition, education, and income-generating activities.
Additionally, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) is conducting a comprehensive reassessment of all LEAP beneficiaries to determine who remains on the programme, who graduates, and which new households qualify.
The Minister also acknowledged the continued support from partners such as the World Bank, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and called for further collaborations to expand the coverage and impact of LEAP.
The government remains committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable populations receive the needed support to improve their quality of life and economic security
Source: daildemocretnewsonline.com