LEAP Commences Nation-Wide Biometric E-Payment Registration Of Beneficiaries
The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme, has commenced the biometric registration of beneficiaries in the country. This is aimed at capturing beneficiary data onto the E-Zwich platform to facilitate funds transfer electronically. 
The LEAP Programme Manager Dzigbordi Agbekpornu who disclosed this in an interview said the biometric registration, which is nation-wide, will cover all beneficiary households in the 185 LEAP districts across the country.
The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement System (GhIPSS) has been contracted by the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), the oversight Ministry for LEAP, to roll out the Electronic Payment (e-Payment) system for the programme. This follows a successful e-payment pilot by GhIPSS in some selected districts.
LEAP Programme is a conditional and unconditional cash transfer being implemented by the Department of Social Development under the MoGCSP. The programme aims at reducing poverty by increasing consumption and promoting access to services and opportunities among the extreme poor and vulnerable households with orphans and vulnerable children, elderly persons 65 years and above without any support and severely disabled persons without any productive capacity and recently, extreme poor pregnant mothers and children under 2 years old.
Mr. Agbekpornu explained that the E-Payment system is aimed at improving the cash transfer arrangement and make it more robust, efficient and secure. He said it also comes with a second level biometric verification, which will authenticate the identity of LEAP beneficiaries, avoid the issues of intermediaries and prevent impersonation during payments. 
The system will lead to financial inclusion as beneficiaries would automatically be enrolled into the banking system. Beneficiaries will also have greater control over management of their funds as they will decide when to access funds, unlike the manual on the spot payment system. Additionally, it will deliver accurate and timely generation of payment reports for the LEAP programme.
The LEAP Programme Manager was excited about the opportunity to pay LEAP beneficiaries electronically and hope that the e-Payment system will inject efficiency into the operations of the programme.
GhIPSS together with some Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) financial institutions are on hand to enroll the beneficiaries and issue them with e-zwich cards.
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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