LEAP programme to disburse GH¢47,449,626 in 2015

The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, the flagship project of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is projecting to disburse about Gh¢47,449,626 to some 150,785 beneficiary households this year.

Already, some 88,932 beneficiary households across Ghana have been paid a total of GH¢6, 714,666 this January, 2015. The amount includes four months arrears of 11, 926 new beneficiaries that were added to the project this year to end the programme’s 34th payment cycle.

Mr Alexander Ackon, a Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection disclosed this on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday when answering a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, Mr Henry Quartey, who sought to know how much money had been disbursed towards the LEAP programme during the 2013/2014 financial year.

Breaking down the total projected payout for 2015, Mr Ackon told the House that by the 35th payment cycle of the LEAP, that is due in March 2015, a total amount of GH¢5,554,992 will be paid out to 90,785 beneficiary households.

The Deputy Minister said that in May, the sum of Gh¢5,554,992 would be disbursed to 90,785 beneficiaries across the country, adding that, in July, 150,785 households would receive some Gh¢9,874,992.

And in September 2015, the projection is that 150,785 beneficiary households would get GH¢9,874, 992.

The programme would further disburse Gh¢9,874,992 to an estimated 150,785 beneficiaries.

Mr Ackon however told the House that the total projected amount of GH¢47,449,626 would only be spent if the LEAP programme is able to register the estimated number of targeted beneficiaries.

This amount, he said, excludes a possible increase in grants to household that may be registered as a result of ongoing negotiations with the Finance Ministry.

An average of GH¢36 per beneficiary household was used to calculate the grant for new additions in 2015.

The Ayawaso Central MP, Mr Quartey, demanded to know from the Deputy Minister whether the amount the Ministry had projected to spend on the programme for 2015 was captured in this year’s budget.

He also demanded to know the criteria used in disbursing those funds to the beneficiaries.

Mr Ackon said that no allocation was made in the budget of the Ministry for the project but that the programme would draw funding from the Finance Ministry’s budgetary allocation that covers the project.