Corrupt LEAP staff will be prosecuted - Gender Minister warns

The Minister of Gender and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba has served notice that staff under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme who will engage in corrupt deals will not be spared.

Her caution follows complaints by some beneficiaries that some staff are extorting monies from them a conduct the minister observed is bringing the name of her ministry into disrepute.

According to her, she has received numerous complaints against social welfare staff in charge of the distribution of LEAP funds as they are said to be extorting monies the from the poor and vulnerable people .

At a two-day training workshop for RSOs and DSWOs on the revised case management manual in the Brong-Ahafo Region, she said Nana Akufo-Addo’s government is poised to curb the corruption menace and that those who will dip their hands into the LEAP coffers will be dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others.

“LEAP Programme represents government’s vision of creating an all-inclusive society through the provision of sustainable mechanisms for the protection of persons living in situations of extreme poverty, vulnerability and exclusion. Therefore any attempt by implementation officials to undermine this core principal fiercely resisted “she said’

The minister said the government was in the process of refocusing the LEAP programme to ensure that it did not become a source of political patronage.

In that regard, she said her outfit was adopting effective and accurate means-testing to identify and enroll deserving beneficiary households onto the program.

Adding that LEAP is a cash transfer program by the government for the poorest households to assist them with basic needs, including food.

On the selection process of beneficiaries, government officials with support of community focal persons, visit selected communities across the country, to collect data to assess the poverty status of families and prepare a list of selected beneficiaries.