‘WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE GHANA’ – GENDER MINISTER
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba has assured Ghanaians especially the vulnerable and marginalized in society that, government will change the face of the country through the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program. She said Ghana is the best place for every Ghanaian and ‘we need to feel good and proud about that by developing our communities so that people feel good about staying in there.’
The Minister disclosed that, some 2,188 households nation-wide are covered under the emergency LEAP. She revealed that, figures from the northern region alone are 1,142 households out of the total 2,188 expected to benefit from the emergency Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty. Hon Otiko mentioned that, the Sagnarigu municipality has the highest number with 540 households, followed by Nanumba North, 384 households and the Tamale metro with 218. “This is as a result of the floods that occurred last year, she noted further.” “We are increasing the LEAP from the 213, 000 plus to 456, 000 households and we have currently started the targeting in West Mamprusi, Savelugu municipality, Yendi, Central Gonja, Sagnarigu and Chereponi.
We are going through the targeting in all the 254 districts and I want plead with you to focus, look sharp and ensure that nobody is left out …the Regional Minister was talking about partisanship; you are here, poverty has no colour, so once the very vulnerable poor are in your districts, I want plead with you that, as the enumerators come along, you work with them, you monitor them, you evaluate them, if somebody is left out under all the category you are to draw their attention to it, so I plead with you to have several meetings with the DCEs in their districts so that we will know the total targets we are looking for and weather we are hitting the mark to ensure that we capture everybody, we are going to change this country and even move from the LEAP into a well-functioning and well-resourced social welfare state where nobody is left out or behind, she stated.”
Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba made these remarks during a sensitization forum for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and their Coordinators from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions in Tamale on the LEAP program, Wednesday, April 4, 2018. Meanwhile, the programme currently covers all 254 districts nation-wide with 213, 044 beneficiary households, which translates into about 937, 904 individuals. Out of the 937, 904 individual LEAP household members, women constitute 56% while men are 44%. In terms of the eligible categories; Orphan and Vulnerable Children are 42%; persons with severe disability 18%; Elders of 65 years and beyond 32%, extremely poor pregnant women and Infants are 1% and 7% respectively.
For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Salifu Sa-eed was optimistic that, through the work shop, the MMDCEs and MMDCDs will acquire the relevant knowledge and skills on LEAP and best practices from their sister districts. He indicated that, consequently, you will be able to make informed choice and decisions on LEAP programmes, thus promoting easy access to social protection interventions towards meeting basic human needs of beneficiary households and also preventing the shortcomings that have characterized other social protection interventions in the past.
Mr. Salifu Sa-eed said in spite of the successes chalked under the program, LEAP still has its challenges. He added that, misconceptions about the programme among some sections of the population that LEAP makes people lazy; the limited coverage of the programme – not all extremely poor population of the 2.2 million is covered; and graduation and exit of beneficiaries. He implored the MMDCEs to work closely with other stakeholders to address the challenges being faced by the programme and urged further to consolidate their successes and take the LEAP programme to greater heights.
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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