Social worker calls for continuation of LEAP to reduce poverty in rural areas

The Reverend Stephen Atta-Gyamfi, Mampong Municipal Social Welfare Officer, has called for the sustenance of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme.
  
This, he said, was necessary to provide some relief to the poor and the underprivileged, particularly in deprived rural communities.  
    
The Reverend Atta-Gyamfi, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Asante-Mampong, said the Department had identified 130 vulnerable groups in seven communities in the Municipality for support under the LEAP.
    
Those who qualify are the aged who are poor, the disabled without productive capacity and the orphaned in society.
 
“It cushions them with conditional cash transfers ranging from GH¢8 to GH¢15 every month”, he noted.
 
Beneficiaries are required to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), possess a birth certificate and have children in the household, attending school. 
    
The Reverend Atta-Gyamfi noted that the LEAP was making a significant contribution to the elimination of worst forms of child labour and poverty in the deprived areas.
 
He announced the formation of a Municipal Child Labour Protection Committee by the Sekyere West Municipal Assembly to identify children engaged in child labour, and to rescue them.
 
The Reverend Atta–Gyamfi called on the government to resource the Department of Social Welfare which, he said, was currently under-resourced, so that it would render effective services to the society.

Source: GNA