The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman has announced a major increase in social protection benefits aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable citizens.
She made this announcement at the 2024 Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) Summit held in Accra from November 20 to 21.
Hon. Dakoa Newman underscored two significant milestones: the doubling of grants under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program for beneficiary households and an increase in the school feeding grant from GH₵ 1.20 to GH₵ 1.50 per child.
Currently, 4,029,580 pupils in 12,000 public schools nationwide benefit from the School Feeding Program, which covers children from kindergarten to primary six.
The increase aims to enhance the quality of meals provided and address inflationary pressures on the program.
Shielding Vulnerable Populations
The Minister explained that the LEAP grant increment was made possible through the implementation of a 2023 indexation mechanism developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.
This adjustment aims to protect the grant from inflation and ensure its continued impact on vulnerable households.
“This is a significant step forward in our mission to uplift the most disadvantaged members of society. With these improvements, we hope to address some of the pressing challenges faced by our citizens,” Hon. Newman said.
Commitment to Gender Equality
The Minister also celebrated the recent passage of the Affirmative Action Act 2024, which aims to enhance women’s participation in decision-making processes and tackle persistent gender inequalities in education, healthcare, and employment.
“Today’s session is a reminder of our collective responsibility to ensure equal opportunities for all, especially women and girls. Together, we can create a Ghana where every vulnerable person has the opportunity to reach their full potential,” she added.
Support from Development Partners
Hon. Newman expressed gratitude to development partners, including UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, the World Bank, and the World Food Programme, for their ongoing support in advancing social protection initiatives.
The summit, held from November 20–21, 2024, brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, and development organizations to discuss strategies for improving social welfare programs and achieving gender equality in Ghana.
