MINISTRY SENSITISES MMDCES, MMDCDS ON LEAP
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has held a day’s sensitization workshop for stakeholders to equip them on the operations and processes of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme to enhance its implementation.
The workshop was also to enhance collaboration and transparency in the implementation of the LEAP Programme, which is designed to reduce poverty in the country. It was attended by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and their Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.
Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, who opened the workshop in Tamale, said the LEAP Programme had undergone significant improvement and required further improvement adding “LEAP cannot continue to be only a hand-out but a hand-up to beneficiary households.”
The LEAP Programme began in 2008 and it targets orphans and vulnerable children, persons with severe disability without productive capacity, the elderly 65 years and above without source of support and extremely poor pregnant women with infants under one year. The Programme currently covers all districts in the country with 213,044 beneficiary households, which translates to about 937,904 individuals, where a one-member household, two-member household, three-member household and four or more-member household received GHc64, GHc76, GHc88 and GHc106 cash transfers bi-monthly in that order.
Madam Afisah Djaba said the government was restructuring the LEAP Programme adding “The new direction will seek to make the programme better and its impact sustainable on beneficiary households.” Mr. Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister urged all MMDCEs and MMDCDs to consolidate efforts and take the LEAP Programme to greater heights. Mr. Mohammed Hashmin, Dean of MMDCEs in the Northern Region pledged the support of the MMDCEs and MMDCDs in the regions to the implementation of the LEAP Programme to ensure success.
SOURCE: GNA, MODERNGHANA.COM
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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