By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, March 9, GNA – More than 136,000 women across Ghana have benefited from social protection interventions under the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP) phase II as the country marked International Women’s Day 2026.
The achievement was highlighted during a commemorative event organised at Charingu in the Wa Metropolitan Assembly, where stakeholders gathered to reflect on progress made in empowering women through targeted livelihood programmes.
The GPSNP 2 is a project under the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs
The celebration was held under the global theme “Rights, Justice and Action for All Women and Girls,” with a campaign focus on “Give to Gain, Investing in Women through Support and Opportunity.”
Speaking at the event, Prof. Prosper Laari, the National Coordinator, GPSNP, said the programme has intentionally placed women at the centre of its interventions since its implementation in 2019.
He reiterated that more than 136,737 women had benefited from the Productive Inclusion (PI) and Labour-Intensive Public Works (LIPW) components under GPSNP and GPSNP2, representing about 69 per cent of total beneficiaries, surpassing the programme’s initial target of 60 per cent female participation.
Prof. Laari explained that the PI component equipped beneficiaries with entrepreneurial skills training, start-up grants and mentoring support to enable them to establish sustainable income-generating activities.
Currently, over 62,000 beneficiaries across more than 1,240 communities in 108 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are enrolled in the programme nationwide, with women accounting for nearly 69 per cent of participants.
Additionally, more than 45,000 beneficiaries have been linked to agricultural support services to improve household nutrition and agricultural productivity.
He also highlighted the impact of the LIPW programme, which provided temporary employment opportunities for poor and extremely poor households while supporting the development of critical community infrastructure.
Since its introduction in 2011, LIPW has created employment for nearly 300,000 individuals and supported the construction of more than 2,000 community assets, including feeder roads, small earth dams and land rehabilitation plantations.
Under GPSNP2, more than 83,000 beneficiaries were currently participating in the programme nationwide, with women representing about 69.5 per cent of participants, where over GHS 181 million has also been paid as wages to beneficiaries.
Prof. Laari cited findings from an impact evaluation conducted by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), which indicated that some beneficiaries had recorded over a 200 per cent increase in earnings and productive investments after completing the PI programme.
He also acknowledged the efforts of the Sector Minister for working to ensure the payment of outstanding wages and the release of Productive Inclusion grants to beneficiaries.
Prof. Laari called on the Government of Ghana to increase domestic funding to complement donor support and institutionalise the PI and LIPW programmes through dedicated budgetary allocations.
He highlighted the Livelihood Empowerment and Productive Inclusion Programme (LEPIP), implemented with support from UNICEF, which sought to support more than 6,000 out-of-school adolescent girls across 26 districts with livelihood opportunities to address issues such as teenage pregnancy and early marriage.
Some women beneficiaries said the programme has helped them meet household expenses, keep their children in school and invest in small businesses, livestock and farming activities.
Chiefs and opinion leaders in the Wa Metropolitan area commended the initiative to boost women’s confidence and strengthen their participation in local development.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade