Government Boosts LEAP Support for Vulnerable Ghanaians


The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to social protection during a working visit to the Weija Leprosarium in Accra, where she supervised the disbursement of the 96th cycle of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash grants.  Speaking to the media after the exercise, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the process and the positive response from beneficiaries.  “This is the 96th disbursement cycle. We’ve not only educated and engaged the beneficiaries, but we’re also disbursing the grants with the new increments promised by President Mahama. It’s heartwarming to see that what we pledged is now a reality. The smiles and joy on their faces mean a lot to us,” she stated.  Hon. Dr. Lartey revealed that 89 households at the Weija Leprosarium are benefitting from the cycle, comprising a total of 269 individuals. She emphasized that government has factored in inflation and cost-of-living adjustments to make the grants more impactful for the vulnerable.  Significant Increases in LEAP Grant Amounts  Under the new payment structure:  One-member households now receive GH₵320.00 (up from GH₵256.00)  Two-member households receive GH₵380.00 (up from GH₵304.00)  Three-member households receive GH₵440.00 (up from GH₵352.00)  Four or more-member households receive GH₵530.00 (up from GH₵424.00)  The government has allocated GH₵953.5 million to the LEAP Programme in the 2025 budget, a significant rise from the GH₵728.8 million in 2024. Additionally, beneficiary households are expected to grow from 350,000 to 400,000, with a reassessment currently underway to ensure fair distribution and graduation of long-term beneficiaries.  The nationwide disbursement for the March–April 2025 cycle began on June 23, with a total of GH₵139.26 million being disbursed across 260 districts.  Beneficiaries Grateful, Pledge Responsible Use of Funds  At the Weija event, beneficiaries expressed deep appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama, Hon. Dr. Lartey, and the NDC government. Many broke into song and praised the leadership for honoring their promises.  According to them, the timely increase in grant amounts will significantly improve their livelihoods. Some pledged to invest the funds into small businesses, while others said they would use the money to support their children’s education.  “We know we won’t be on the programme forever, so this support is timely. We are using it to      build something sustainable,” one beneficiary said.  Beneficiaries include orphans and vulnerable children, elderly persons above 65 without support, persons with severe disabilities unable to work, and extremely poor pregnant women or lactating mothers with infants under one year.





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