LEAP grant in 10 months arrears

Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) grant, providing lifeline support to 7,028 poor people in nine Ashanti districts, has been in arrears for 10 months, causing a lot of discomfort to the beneficiaries.

Mr Anthony Agyemang, the Regional Head of Programmes, Community Care, Department of Social Welfare, said the situation was not pleasant and that things were becoming pretty tough for those people.

He, therefore, appealed to the Finance and Economic Planning Ministry to act with urgency and release the money to bring relief to them.

LEAP targets orphans and vulnerable children, the aged with no subsistence support, and persons with disability. They receive monthly grants ranging from GHc8.00, to GHc45.00.

Mr Agyemang, speaking at a day’s meeting of the Regional Committee for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Kumasi, said the intervention since its introduction had made things a bit better for the extremely poor, and everything must be done to sustain it.

It has been operating in the Kumasi Metropolis, Obuasi, Asante-Akim Central, Atwima-Nwabiagya, Ahafo-North and South, Sekyere West, Adansi North and Amansie West districts.

Mr Jacob Achulo, Regional Director of the Department, said lack of money had been a major challenge to the implementation of programmes to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children and urged the government to help address the problem.