The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), has announced the doubling of cash grants for beneficiary households under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
At a press conference on Friday, June 28, the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection , Darkoa Newman hinted that, this is the second time the ministry is doubling grant for LEAP beneficiaries.
However, as a result of the increment, the government has released One Hundred and Three Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand, Seventy-Two Ghana Cedis (GHC103,251,072.01) to pay the three hundred and twenty-four thousand and seventy-three (324,073) beneficiary households.
“The 89th cycle (January and February 2024) LEAP cash grant payment is scheduled to start on Monday, July 1, 2024, across the country”, Darkoa Newman announced.
The Sector minister further explained that, the upward adjustment in the LEAP grant to beneficiary households follows a prior 100% increase in June 2023, thus underscoring the government’s commitment to poverty alleviation and improving the quality of life of the nation’s most disadvantaged citizens.
“From June to December 2023, the LEAP Grants paid to beneficiary households bi-monthly were as follows: one member household was entitled to GH₵128.00, two-member households were entitled to GH₵152.00, three-member households were entitled to GH₵176.00 and finally four and above member households were entitled to GH₵212.00.”
“With immediate effect, the cash grants provided to households enrolled on to the LEAP programme will see a 100% increase from the 2023 figures as follows: one-member household from GH₵128.00 to GH₵256.00, two-member households from GH₵152.00 to GHC304.00, three-member households from GH₵176.00 to GHC352.00, and four-member households from GH₵212.00 to GH₵424.0″, Darkoa disclosed.
She highlighted that this move by the government is to provide relief and support to families across the country and enable them to meet their basic needs more effectively.
“This aligns with the LEAP Programme’s goal, which seeks to reduce poverty by smoothening consumption and promoting human capital development among Ghana’s extremely poor and vulnerable households.”
Darkoa Newman reiterated that the funds to be disbursed to beneficiaries is for the month of January and February and there was delay due to inflation which affected the country’s scales.
She assured that, the ministry will not be default in disbursing funds to the beneficiaries because there is a monitoring team in all the secretariat to ensure free and fair distribution.
