751 ‘witches’ put on LEAP project

The government of Ghana has placed a total of 751 persons in Witches Camps on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme.

According to the Finance Minister Seth Terkper, the perceived witches were part of an additional 6,006 beneficiaries enrolled in the programme in the Northern and Upper East regions.

“The Ministry [Gender and social protection] provided bi-monthly cash grants to a total of 116,000 households in 180 Districts in 10 Regions under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme. To ensure timely and efficient transfer of cash to beneficiaries, 9,658 households in nine districts in seven regions received electronic payments of the LEAP Grants in three piloted ecological zones,” Terkper revealed in the 2016 budget and economic policy statement of the government.

He added: “Under the LEAP 1000 project, enrolment of additional 6,006 beneficiary households was completed in seven and three districts in the Northern and Upper East regions, respectively. About 382 children in Children’s Homes, 12 Elderly persons in Elderly Homes, 405 lepers in Leprosaria and 751 persons in Witches Camps also received LEAP grants.”

In a related development, he said following the June 3rd flood and fire disaster, the Ministry set up an emergency LEAP intervention programme for the victims and an amount of GH¢3.9 million was disbursed to support 10,274 households affected by the disaster. The Ministry in partnership with Direct Aid Africa also donated relief items to 1,000 victims of floods in Keta, Osu and Kumasi.

“The Ministry facilitated effective targeting for all social intervention programmes in Ghana, and established the National Targeting Unit to develop the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) database and Management Information System (MIS). Consultations are on-going in the Upper West region to develop the regional register.

“A five -ear Strategic plan was developed to facilitate the upgrading and affiliation of the School of Social Work to the University of Development Studies. A total of 1,925 elderly persons were registered in Ashanti (Asawase), Eastern (Akropong) and Volta (Ho, Keta) regions as part of the NHIS biometric registration exercise initiated in 2014. The Ministry also launched the “Eban” welfare card which will allow elderly persons board Metro Mass transit buses nationwide at a 50 percent rebate.

“In 2016, the Ministry will expand the implementation of the LEAP to cover over 250,000 beneficiary households as well as strengthen the institutional arrangements for social protection. It will also operationalize the National Target Unit to undertake data collection exercise in Upper East and Northern regions and develop a Ghana National Household Registry at the regions.”