The Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Dakoa Newman, alongside a delegation from the World Bank, have visited Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) communities in the Ayensuano District Assembly in the Eastern Region.
During this visit, beneficiaries received payments for both the 91st and 92nd cycles of the programme.
The purpose of the visit was to monitor and assess the ongoing LEAP payment processes.
In an interview with the media, Honourable Dakoa Newman revealed that beneficiaries had received double the usual amount during this payment cycle.
She further explained that over GH¢14 million was expected to be disbursed across the Eastern Region, with over 400 households in the Ayensuano District benefiting.
“More than 325,000 households enrolled in the LEAP programme will benefit from a total of about GH¢204 million disbursed during this particular payment cycle. Everybody who has been enrolled will receive the 91st and 92nd payments. In the
Eastern Region alone, approximately GH¢14.9 million will be paid out, and over 400 households in Ayensuano District will receive their share,” said Hon. Newman.
She continued that “For one-person households, if they were receiving GH¢256, they will now receive double that amount. Two-person households, which used to receive GH¢304, will now receive GH¢608, but when it comes to the next cycle, which will be the 93rd cycle, the beneficiaries will go back to the usual payment. For instance, if you do receive GH¢256 or GH¢304, you will receive that in the 93rd cycle.”
She emphasized that the LEAP programme, which targets persons with disabilities, the aged, orphans, and the extremely poor, has undergone several assessments over the years to ensure that the right people benefit. The minister also highlighted that the double payment is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to support the most vulnerable members of society.
Hon. Newman announced that a reassessment of the program is scheduled for the next month to ensure the benefits reach the intended recipients. “This reassessment will help identify those who truly fall within the LEAP criteria. It will also address concerns about whether the right people are receiving the benefits,” she stated.
She added that plans are in place for a scale-up of the program in 2025 to bring more people onto the LEAP system.
The LEAP program is a government initiative aimed at reducing poverty and improving the living standards of vulnerable members of society through cash transfers, which beneficiaries use to support their livelihoods and improve their living conditions.
Some beneficiaries in the Ayensuano District expressed their gratitude to the LEAP Secretariat, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and the government for the timely payments. Many reported using the funds to start small poultry farms, cash crop farming, send their children to school, and even build small homes for themselves.
