Paycode deploys technology to support LEAP enrolment in Northern Ghana

Paycode Ghana Limited, the Payment Service Provider supporting the ongoing enrolment of beneficiaries under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, has deployed technology, trained field personnel and operational support to strengthen the registration of vulnerable households in Northern Ghana.

The exercise forms part of the government’s broader efforts, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, to expand the LEAP programme and ensure that eligible households are properly identified, verified and enrolled.

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, recently visited the Savelugu Municipality and Kumbungu District as part of a working tour of the Northern and North East regions.

She was accompanied by members of the Ministry’s Advisory Board and other officials.

Government targets 400,000 additional households

The Ministry is seeking to add 400,000 vulnerable households to the LEAP programme nationwide as part of efforts to widen the reach of the social protection intervention.

During her visit to the Northern Region, Dr Lartey inspected registration centres to assess the efficiency of the enrolment process and identify challenges confronting applicants and field officers.

She also assessed how residents were being received at the registration centres and stressed the need for vulnerable applicants to be treated with dignity and respect throughout the process.

Exercise to improve LEAP database

A key component of the nationwide exercise is the reassessment of existing beneficiary records to improve the accuracy and reliability of the LEAP database.

According to the Ministry, updated household information will help identify and remove ghost beneficiaries while reducing errors that could result in ineligible persons being enrolled or qualified households being left out.

The exercise will also determine whether some existing beneficiaries have achieved sufficient economic stability to graduate from the programme.

Such graduation, the Ministry explained, would create room for other households facing severe financial hardship to benefit from LEAP support.

Paycode assures beneficiaries of security

A Director at Paycode Ghana, Kojo Adubofuor, said beneficiaries would be required to use their biometric information to access the service after their cards have been verified in the system.

He advised beneficiaries to keep their cards safely as an additional security measure.

Mr Adubofuor explained that beneficiaries who lose their cards would retain the same identification number when replacement cards are issued.

He further reaffirmed Paycode Ghana’s commitment to working with the Ministry and other stakeholders to ensure that no eligible household within its assigned operational areas is excluded because of distance, technology or logistical challenges.

Traditional leaders support enrolment exercise

As part of the monitoring tour, Dr Lartey paid courtesy calls on the Chief of Savelugu, Yoonaa Abdulai Yakubu, and the Chief of Kumbungu, Gbullung Naa Musah Surani.

The engagements were aimed at strengthening collaboration between government, traditional authorities and local communities to facilitate the registration exercise.

Traditional leaders are expected to support community mobilisation, improve public understanding of the LEAP programme and assist authorities in identifying vulnerable households.

Minister engages district authorities

The Minister and her delegation also met with the Savelugu Municipal Chief Executive, Alhassan Fuseini, and the Kumbungu District Chief Executive, Imoro Yakubu Kakpagu.

Discussions focused on coordinating the registration exercise and ensuring that national implementation guidelines are effectively applied at the local level.

The Ministry emphasised the importance of collaboration among district assemblies, social welfare officers, community leaders and registration teams to ensure that the programme reaches its intended beneficiaries.

Biometric data to improve access to other services

Dr Lartey said the exercise could deliver benefits beyond the immediate cash assistance provided under LEAP.

The alignment of beneficiaries’ biometric information is expected to facilitate registration with the National Health Insurance Scheme, improve school enrolment among children in rural communities and make it easier for households to access other social protection services.

Regular cash assistance could also stimulate economic activity in beneficiary communities as households spend their funds on food, healthcare, education and other essential needs.

Paycode Ghana says its role extends beyond providing payment technology, with the company supporting the end-to-end beneficiary onboarding process and responding to technical and operational challenges encountered by field teams.

The partnership is expected to contribute to a more inclusive, accountable and technology-enabled social protection system, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that eligible vulnerable households are properly enrolled and able to receive government support securely and conveniently.