Government releases GH¢265.22 million for LEAP programme

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has projected to disburse GH¢ 265.22 million for the 94th and 95th payment cycles of its flagship project, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme. 

The payments, scheduled for the last week of March 2025, will benefit 350,000 households across 260 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).

The joint disbursement covers the 94th cycle (November-December 2024) and the 95th cycle (January-February 2025).

The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) will facilitate the payments to beneficiary accounts.

The sector minister, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, made this known in a press briefing at the ministry’s conference room last Friday.

Breakdown Payments

The LEAP grant is paid bi-monthly, with varied amounts paid to households.

Each household on the programme is paid according to the programme’s eligibility criteria, including orphans and vulnerable children, elderly persons (65 years and above) without support, persons with severe disabilities who cannot work, extremely poor pregnant women and lactating mothers with infants under one year.

The payment structure for the joint disbursement, covering November 2024  to February 2025,  is: one eligible member household is entitled to GHGH¢512, two eligible member households are entitled to GH¢608, while three eligible member households will be paid GH¢704, and households with four or more eligible members will receive GH¢848.

Increase

Dr Lartey said  that the government had increased the number of  LEAP beneficiary households from 350,000 to 400,000.

In addition, she said the budget allocation for LEAP benefits had risen from GH¢728.8 million to GH¢953.5 million in the 2025 financial year.

Dr Lartey, therefore, thanked the President, John Dramani Mahama, for fulfilling his commitment to reduce poverty and vulnerability of Ghanaians.

“This move aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of ensuring that no Ghanaian is left behind. By increasing both the number of beneficiaries and the financial support allocated, we are strengthening our social safety net and providing a lifeline for more households in need,” she added.

Use

The minister encouraged the LEAP beneficiary households to make use of this support to enhance their overall well-being, emphasing both in meeting their immediate consumption needs and securing their future investment goals.

“Beneficiaries are expected to prioritise essential areas such as household nutrition, children's education and income-generating activities,” she said.

“By adopting positive financial and social practices, LEAP households will contribute to poverty reduction and long-term economic stability,” she said.

Dr Lartey also said that LEAP was not a permanent programme for all recipients, as new households must be accommodated or added.

As a result, Dr Lartey said the ministry had initiated a comprehensive reassessment of all current beneficiaries households to evaluate their continued eligibility on the programme.

“We recognise that not all households can remain on LEAP indefinitely.

The results of this reassessment will determine which households should remain on the programme; graduate from the programme; and new households to be added,” she added.

She said the Ghana National Households Registry (GNHR) under the ministry was expected to complete its ongoing nationwide household registration to ensure accurate targeting of beneficiaries.

Appreciation

Dr Lartey thanked international partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), for their continuous support for the LEAP programme.

“We are open and still working for more partnerships to help address the gaps in the coverage of the LEAP programme,”she added.

The minister urged the public and media to monitor disbursements, report irregularities and provide feedback to ensure transparency and accountability.

“We welcome public engagement to ensure that the objectives of LEAP are met.

By working together, we can ensure that this programme continues to serve those who need it most,” the minister added.