The Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection is to include a regular medical screening of all beneficiaries in the next cycle of payment of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP).

The sector Minister, Otiko Afisah Djaba announced this when paid a working visit to Somanya in the Eastern region to monitor the 50th Cycle Payment of LEAP.

Ms. Djaba also disclosed the plans by the Ministry to develop an exit plan which will include vocational training for beneficiaries who have been on the programme for two years. 

The Ministry will assist them to set up small businesses for better living conditions. 

The Monitoring visit of the Minister was to find out challenges associated with the programme during disbursement of cash and how beneficiaries utilize the funds given to them.

The LEAP programme is the Government of Ghana’s flagship Social Protection intervention which was initiated in 2008 to reduce poverty among the extreme poor and vulnerable households. 

The Gender Minister together with the Yilo Krobo Municipal Director of the Social Welfare, Mrs. Sarah Nai-Mensah, Deputy Municipal Coordinating Director, S. A. Sadique and National officers of the LEAP programme monitored three (3) payment points at Adjikpo,

Agavenya and Saweh. The team first made a stop at the Adjikpo payment point where 51 beneficiaries were receiving their cash. 

At the Adjikpo payment point, many non-beneficiaries thronged the venue to appeal to the Minister to consider their inclusion onto the LEAP programme.

According to Otiko Afisah Djaba, the programme specifically seeks to improve basic household consumption and nutrition as well as increasing access to health care among the aged (65 years and above without any support), orphans and vulnerable children, persons with severe disabilities without productive capacity, and pregnant women with children under 1 year.

She advised all those wishing to be on the programme to exercise patience since the Ministry is in the process of clearing the names of deceased persons on the LEAP’s register through auditing - to make room for new entries.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to the government for the support given to them through the LEAP programme and however called for an adjustment in the amount they receive bi-monthly.

The Minister and her team prior to the monitoring paid a courtesy call on the Oklepeme Nene Anorbaa Safroku II in Somanya where she was warmly received as a proud daughter of the land.

Otiko Afisah Djaba also inspected the quality of food served pupils of Aklorley Basic School under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

She interacted with the pupils and urged them to take their studies serious to become future leaders.