PRESS RELEASE: 43rd Payment Cycle Of LEAP Social Cash Grant
147,881 households to be paid for the months of May and June, 2016
The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme, will commence its 43rd payment cycle from 1st to 5th August, 2016. A total of 147,881 beneficiary households in 187 districts will be paid their LEAP grants. During the payment period which covers 2 months; one eligible household member will receive GHS 64.00, a two eligible member household receives GHS 76.00, while a three eligible member household will receive GHS 88.00 and four or more eligible member household will receive GHS106.00. These payments cover the months of May and June, 2016.
This 43rd cycle payment will include 192 households from the ‘Alleged Witches Camps’ in Gushiegu in the Northern region and the Mampong Babies Home in Ashanti region. This group of beneficiaries fall under the specialised category for automatic inclusion onto the LEAP Programme. The inclusion of the specialised category of beneficiaries is in line with the Programme’s objective to reduce the plight of the vulnerable and marginalized in the society.
All the beneficiaries will be paid electronically using the e-zwich platform of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS). This payment platform uses biometric fingerprint to verify beneficiaries before payment.
The LEAP Programme is making impact on the lives of its target group: orphans and vulnerable children, elderly above 65 years, and persons with severe disability without productive capacity. An independent research conducted by Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), a leading civil society organization, between 2014 and 2015, indicates that LEAP contributed to 12% increase in school enrollment of children of school going age. Other findings from the research include: children in LEAP households are more motivated to attend school; Improved access to health care through NHIS for LEAP beneficiaries, 65% of LEAP households reported an increase in food security for the children, 62% of beneficiary are able to purchase fertilizers and 63% of LEAP households have invested their accumulated grants savings into economic activities in their communities.
The findings from the CDD research corroborated the 2012 findings from the impact assessment conducted by ISSER and North Carolina University of USA in 2012. Another round of impact evaluation of the Programme is being conducted by the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana.
By the LEAP Programme design all LEAP beneficiaries are to be registered on the National Health Insurance Scheme free-of-charge to improve access to health care for the extremely poor, vulnerable and excluded. In line with this, the LEAP Programme in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is embarking on a nation-wide registration of new LEAP beneficiaries who have not yet acquired the National Health Insurance card. The number of beneficiary household members to be registered in this exercise is 214,067 members.
ISSUED BY:
LEAP PROGRAMME SECRETARIAT
MINISTRY OF GENDER CHILDREN
AND SOCIAL PROTECTION, ACCRA.
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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