Govt to provide LEAP support to cushion dry season impact

In response to the devastating effects of the dry spell impacting vulnerable households in eight regions in the country, the government, through the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has launched the “Dry Spell Emergency Cash Transfer” initiative to support those affected.

This initiative aims to provide immediate relief to over 212,000 households across 520 communities in the affected regions.

Each of the households will receive a one-time payment of GH¢1,000 through the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme to help meet essential needs such as food, water and health care.

The payments, which are intended to complement other government efforts to address the dry spell, are set to begin in November 2024.

Response

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman, who announced the new initiative during a press conference in Accra yesterday said the government, in collaboration with its partners, was launching the “Dry Spell Emergency Cash Transfer” to provide immediate financial support to vulnerable households impacted by the crisis.

She emphasised that this initiative aligned with her ministry's mission to safeguard vulnerable populations during disasters and emergencies, and gave the assurance that they would closely monitor the implementation to ensure that the funds reached the intended recipients.

“Over the past eight weeks, we have witnessed the devastating impact of limited rainfall across eight regions, which are vital to our agricultural sector. This crisis has not only threatened our food security but has also jeopardised the livelihoods of many families, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” she said.

“This intervention is not just about immediate relief; it is about building resilience. By safeguarding their assets and livelihoods, we will enable these households and communities to recover more effectively from this shock and prepare for the future,” she said.

Appreciation

Ms Newman expressed her gratitude to partners such as the World Bank and UNICEF for their steadfast support, which had enabled the government to respond quickly by providing relief to affected households.

She further urged the beneficiaries to utilise the support wisely and also report any cases of underpayment, fraud or harassment via the ministry’s toll free numbers – 0800800800 or 0800900900 as well as email – Hope@mogcsp.gov.gh.

“We must stand together as a community, protecting each other and building back stronger,” she added.

Background

In August this year, a severe drought gripped the country, affecting over 928,000 farmers and threatened the country's food security.

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) forecast predicted intermittent dry spells during this year's cropping season, but the situation turned into a near-drought,condition, with continuous dry spells disrupting crop production.

On August  26, the government announced the devastating effects of the dry spell and outlined mitigation measures. The dry spell affected people in the Bono, Bono East, Northern, North-East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West and Oti regions.