Gender Minister Inspects LEAP Payments, Demands Accountability

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has inspected the ongoing Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) payment exercise in the Adenta Municipality to ensure grants reach the households targeted under the programme.

During a visit to the Adenta Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region, the Minister observed the payment process and interacted with beneficiaries, caregivers and officials to hear first-hand about their experiences.

The exercise involves payments to both existing LEAP households and newly enrolled households identified through the nationwide reassessment of the programme.

Under the revised six-tier payment structure, grants are determined by household size and vulnerability status. Two payment cycles are being paid together in the current exercise.

Households of one to two members with vulnerability are receiving GH¢784, while those without vulnerability receive GH¢760. Households with three to four members receive GH¢984 with vulnerability and GH¢904 without vulnerability.

For households with five or more members, those classified as vulnerable receive GH¢1,260, while those without vulnerability receive GH¢1,188.

Speaking to the media, Dr Lartey said the payment exercise went beyond the disbursement of money, stressing the need to ensure that the support reached households that genuinely needed it.

She explained that the reassessment had resulted in some households whose circumstances had improved transitioning out of the programme, while other extremely poor and vulnerable households had been brought on board.

According to the Minister, the expansion of LEAP following the reassessment made effective monitoring particularly important to safeguard the integrity of the programme and ensure that grants reached the intended beneficiaries.

She also appealed to caregivers who receive grants on behalf of beneficiaries who are unable to access the payments themselves to ensure that the money was delivered to the beneficiaries and used in their interest.

Dr Lartey commended the Member of Parliament for Adenta, Ramadan Adam, the Adenta Municipal Chief Executive, Ella Christine Esinam Nongo, social welfare officers, caregivers and beneficiaries for their cooperation during the reassessment and payment processes.

She noted that household conditions can change over time, making periodic reassessment necessary to ensure social protection interventions remain targeted at those who need them most.

The Minister further urged beneficiaries to use the grants prudently to meet their household needs and called on caregivers and local officials to help maintain transparency and protect the integrity of the payment process.

Beneficiaries with concerns about their payments, enrolment, or verification can contact their Community Focal Persons or District Social Welfare Offices. They may also call 0800-800-800, 0800-900-900, or 0303969399 for assistance.

Grace Acheampong, ISD