Gender Ministry to increase LEAP beneficiary households
The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection is to enroll 65,147 additional households in 31 districts from seven regions onto the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme by next month.
Sensitisation
As part of the process, a two-day sensitisation workshop has been organised for chief executive and social welfare officers of the beneficiary districts in Koforidua to enlighten the participants on the LEAP Programme, as well as to solicit their support for the implementation of the programme at the district levels.
Delivering a speech at the workshop, the Chief Director of the ministry, Mr Kwesi Armo-Himbson, lauded the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives for their role in ensuring the effective implementation of the LEAP programme, as well as all the social protection intervention programmes at the district and community levels and stressed that the ministry saw them as “key allies in the achievement of its objectives.”
Reducing poverty
He indicated that the Social Protection agenda was aimed at reducing poverty and vulnerabilities as enshrined in the National Social Protection Policy that was launched in June, 2016.
The policy, according to him, will ensure that all social protection interventions are coordinated properly to ensure that extremely poor households derive maximum benefits from all the social protection interventions.
He mentioned some of the achievements of the LEAP Programme as the transition from manual to electronic payment of LEAP cash grant to beneficiaries, using the E-Zwich platform of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), and the nationwide registration of members of LEAP beneficiary households onto the National Health Insurance Scheme.
He gave an assurance that the programme was on course to reach the target by the end of 2016.
Commendation
For his part, the Director of Research from the Local Government Service, Dr Charles Kesse, lauded the ministry for its efforts to create a voice for the voiceless in the society.
He stated that the social protection interventions being implemented under the MoGCSP worked into Ghana’s decentralisation process, which gave decision-making power to the people at the local level.
He reiterated that the Local Government Service would continue to support the ministry in the implementation of social protection interventions.
Achaligabe Colson Akanbasiam (Mr) is the Head of Case Management of the LEAP programme. He has over 15 years working experience in both governmental and non-governmental organisations. He holds a Master of Philosophy Degree in Gender and Development (Norway) and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with Political Science (Ghana).
Alhaji Lateef Mamudu is a senior civil servant and has Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting from Tamale Polytechnic and a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Ghana Institute Of Management And Public Administration (GIMPA).
Thomas Boateng Quaison holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Information Studies from University of Ghana. He has undergone training on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) including Evaluation of Social Programmes at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) at the University of Ghana Business School and Project Management Professionals (PMP) at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
Richard Azina Nartey joined the LEAP team in September 2013 as Assistant to the Head of Operations Unit, having previously worked as a Programme Officer on the National Social Protection Strategy at the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Richard worked with Youth and Women Empowerment (CSO) as Youth Coordinator, Project Manager and Executive Director.
Felix Kwaku Logah Felix Kwaku Logah is the head of operations for the LEAP Programme. He is the lead in planning and implementing LEAP Programme design parameters. He is responsible for targeting and enrollment activities. He is a professional Social Worker who holds Masters degree in Development Studies, Bachelor in Social Work and Clinical Psychology, Certificate in Public Heath all from University of Ghana, Legon. Trained in Designing and Implementing Social Cash Transfer in the Economic and Policy Research Institute, Cape Town -South Africa, Trained in Development Evaluation (IPDET) in Carleton University, Ottawa-Canada.
Dzigbordi Kofi Agbekpornu is the National LEAP Manager and is responsible for leading the team at LEAP Management Secretariat to achieve the Programme objectives. He also coordinates and manages programme activities across the country at regional, district and community levels.
Jeremiah Yanney is a City & Guilds of London Institute Certificate & Diploma holder in Microprocessors and Microcomputer Technology, Microsoft A+, Networking+ and (MCP) Microsoft Certified Professional, (MCSE) Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, FSK systems. He has specialized skills in Hardware, Networking, Systems administration, MIS consultancy, training, and a Certificate in Social protection (CSPS, University of Ghana).
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