About 325,000 households are expected to benefit from a total of approximately GH¢204 million to be disbursed to beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program. Of this amount, around GH¢14.9 million will be allocated to beneficiaries in the Eastern Region, with about 400 households benefiting from the Ayensuano District alone, this is according to Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman.
Ms. Newman disclosed this on Monday, September 30, 2024, during a visit to LEAP communities in the Ayensuano District Assembly in the Eastern Region to monitor and assess the ongoing LEAP payment processes. She was accompanied by a delegation from the World Bank.
As part of the visit, beneficiaries in the district received payments for both the 91st and 92nd cycles of the program.
Double payment
Speaking to the media, Ms. Newman emphasized that the LEAP program, which targets persons with disabilities, the elderly, orphans, and the extremely poor, has undergone several assessments over the years to ensure that the right people benefit.
She highlighted that the double payment is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to support the most vulnerable members of society.
“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. However, when it comes to the next cycle, which will be the 93rd, beneficiaries will return to the usual payment. For instance, if you received GH¢256 or GH¢304, you will receive that amount in the 93rd cycle,” she explained.
Reassessment
The Minister announced that a reassessment of the program is scheduled for next month to ensure that 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 to scale up the program in 2025, aiming 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, engage in cash crop farming, send their children to school, and even build small homes for themselves.
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