Accra: The Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has commenced the 98th cycle cash grant payments of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) to 1.5 million individuals. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Gender Minister, announced that a total of 350,580 households are set to receive the cash grants. This announcement was made at a press conference in Accra aimed at updating the media on the progress of the LEAP grant payments.
According to Ghana News Agency, LEAP is a cash transfer initiative introduced by the Government in 2008 to support extremely poor and vulnerable households by reducing poverty and promoting access to essential services and opportunities. Eligibility criteria for the programme include households with orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly aged 65 and above without support, persons with severe disabilities who cannot work, and extremely poor pregnant women and lactating mothers with infants under one year.
Dr. Lartey detailed the grant amounts, stating that one-member households would receive GHC 320.00, two-member households GHC 360.00, three-member households GHC 440.00, and four-member households GHC 530.00. She emphasized the Government’s consistent commitment to supporting the most vulnerable, aiming to empower households to live with dignity and hope.
The Minister also highlighted the Ministry’s efforts in prioritizing human capital development and productive inclusion. Besides the cash grants, the Ministry provides technical support, training, and regular sensitization to beneficiaries nationwide to help them maximize the grants and transition from subsistence to long-term investment.
Additionally, Dr. Lartey announced the implementation of a structural benchmark for indexing cash grants against inflation, aimed at preserving the value of the LEAP cash grants. The Ministry is working to expand the programme’s coverage from 350,580 households to 400,000 households by the end of 2025.
Dr. Lartey called on beneficiaries to participate actively in the ongoing LEAP reassessment data collection and the upcoming household data verification exercise, emphasizing the importance of cooperation for the programme’s fairness and effectiveness. The Ministry has also partnered with the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) to introduce multiple cash-out options, including the Ghana Pay mobile money payment system, to enhance financial inclusion for LEAP beneficiaries.
Expressing gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for his leadership in sustaining the LEAP programme, Dr. Lartey acknowledged his role in passing the Social Protection Bill into law, which safeguards vulnerable populations and promotes national development. She encouraged citizens to report any misconduct or fraud within the programme to maintain its integrity and uphold the mission of the Ministry and LEAP.