Workshop on Ghana Social Opportunities Project held at Kwabeng
A three-day workshop on the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP) attended by twenty participants designed to support the Government’s National Social Protection Strategy at Kwabeng in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region has ended.
The workshop was organized by the GSOP Kumasi operational office, aimed at creating awareness on the project and to provide the participants with a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities as well as project Implementation processes and procedures.
Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum, Atiwa District Chief Executive (DCE), in a speech, said the Project was based on the Government’s vision of creating an all –inclusive and socially empowered society through the provision of sustainable mechanisms for the protection of persons living in extreme poverty and related vulnerability and exclusion.
He indicated that the School Feeding Programme, National Health Insurance, Free School Uniforms, Fertilizers subsidies, National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) and Capitation Grant among others, were some of the social protection instruments being pursued by the Government.
Mr Atta Twum indicated that in all those interventions, the poor is the target and poverty reduction amongst the poor is the ultimate goal.
He said another dimension to the National Social Protection Strategy was the Labour intensive Public Works (LIPW).
“This is to provide targeted rural poor households access to employment and income earning opportunities, in particular during seasonal labour demand shortfall through rehabilitation and maintenance of public or community infrastructure”.
Mr Atta Twum indicated that the primary concern of the assembly was to ensure that poverty was reduced through the delivery of essential services.
He noted however that their major constraint was inadequate funding.
“It for this reason that the selection of the District amongst the other 40 Districts in Ghana and the only one in the Eastern Region to benefit from GSOP with a grant allowance of GH¢641,283.50 towards the financing of eligible sub-projects under the LIPW is indeed good news”.
Mr Charles Nayram, National Coordinator, GSOP, said the Project Development Objective (PDO) was to support Ghana’s Social Protection Strategy through improved targeting in social protection spending.
It also aimed at increased access to conditional cash transfers nationwide, increased access to employment and cash earning opportunities for the rural poor during agricultural off-seasons.
He said it would also improve economic and social infrastructure in targeted districts.
According to Mr Nayram, the Project components include Rationalization of National Socio Protection Policy (RNSPP), LIPWs support to LEAP, capacity building and project management and coordination.
Source: GNA