By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, Feb. 23, GNA – The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has disbursed a total of GHC387,450 to beneficiary households under the Livelihoods Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
The amount, disbursed to 2,214 beneficiary households in 70 communities in the Shai Osudoku Municipality of the Greater Accra Region as a social cash grant, is to reduce poverty among the extremely poor and vulnerable.
Addressing some beneficiaries at Somania, one of the communities, Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, admonished them to invest the funds in small businesses.
She said “although the funds may seem small, it can be turned over if invested in the right business”.
Madam Abudu reiterated the Government’s commitment to maintaining the LEAP programme as a key social intervention measure and expressed satisfaction that the programme had brought some relief to beneficiaries.
While calling for an increment of the allocation, some beneficiaries said the funds ultimately helped them to sustain their families and keep their children in school.
Madam Mary Kwami, who received the funds for the third time, said she was into the sale of cooked beans with friend plantain and living on the profit.
Another beneficiary, Mr Adolfos Tetteh Fayorse, said he had invested part of his initial allocation in rearing Guinea fowls.
“I have sold some and currently have 25 birds (three roosters and 23 guinea hens),” he said.
He said though the funds had helped in sustaining his family, the rising cost of living had made the money insufficient.
LEAP is a social intervention programme that provides bi-monthly cash transfers to targeted households living below the poverty line.
Eligible beneficiaries include poor elderly people over the age of 65; decrepit disabled people who cannot work, and carers of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs).
The main objective of the program is to reduce poverty by increasing and decelerating consumption and promoting access to services and opportunities among the extremely poor and vulnerable.
GNA