Government pays GH¢19m every two months to LEAP beneficiaries – Minister

Government pays GH¢19 million to GH¢2.6 million Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) beneficiaries nationwide as part of its policy to reduce economic hardship of the poor and the vulnerable.

Mrs Cynthia Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection said this when she led officials of the Ministry to pay LEAP beneficiaries in 13 communities in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.

She said the colossal amount was paid to orphans, widows, widowers, physically challenged persons and the aged of 65 years and above.

The beneficiaries received between GH¢60.00 and GH¢108.00 every two months to improve their living conditions.

Mrs Morrison said plans were underway to provide active LEAP beneficiaries with substantial amounts as soft loans to do business in order to wean them from the programme and the Ministry would undertake visits to communities to take accurate data of the beneficiaries of the LEAP to help to extend the policy to areas of some Members of Parliament.

According to the Minister, the policy, was introduced by former President John Agyekum Kufuor and under the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the programme invigorated to support the poor and the needy.

Mrs Morrison said the visit to Gomoa East to supervise the payment of LEAP would assist her to access the situation, whether more people could be hooked on to the programme in the area.

During the visit, nurses and paramedical staffs of the Ministry of Health, who were engaged by the Minister, advised pregnant women on antenatal, family planning and good diet, to avoid sicknesses.

Mr Kojo Asomaning, the Member of Parliament for Gomoa East commended the Minister for the visit and the payment made to the LEAP beneficiaries and appealed for the expansion of the programme to cover more of the needy and the poor in the area.

Source: GNA