Gov't should not scrap LEAP – Frema Opare

A former Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Frema Opare, has opposed the suggestion to scrap the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.

The NDC Member of Parliament for Nandom, Murtala Mohammed has suggested that the LEAP programme cannot reduce poverty by giving cash hand-outs to the poor and the vulnerable in society.

Frema Opare however insisted that the practice has been proven in many countries as contributing to the alleviation of poverty “particularly with people who are at the extreme poverty level.”

She continued saying, “it is relevant in alleviating poverty, it is a proven approach and when we started having this programme since the time that I was Deputy Minister, certainly change was taken place.”

According to her, the cash transfer is a survival fund and a means of helping the beneficiaries leap from poverty and therefore the need for government to continue with the program.

The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme is a social cash transfer programme which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households across Ghana to alleviate short-term poverty and encourage long term human capital development.

LEAP started a trial phase in March 2008 and then began expanding gradually in 2009 and 2010. The programme is fully funded from general revenues of the Government of Ghana.