Gov’t double grants for households under LEAP, January-February payment begins July 1

The government of Ghana has doubled cash transfers provided to beneficiary households under its Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) social protection program.

In a press release issued on June 27, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) announced that grant amounts paid to households enrolled on the LEAP program will see a 100% increase from current levels.

This represents the second raise to payments within a year after grants were first raised by 100% last June.

Under the new amounts, a one-member household will receive GHC256 bi-monthly, up from GHC128 previously.

Two-member households will get GHC304, three-member homes GHC352, and four-or-more-member households GHC424 every two months.

The move is aimed at "providing much-needed relief and support to thousands of families across the country, enabling them meet their basic needs more effectively as well as invest in their future well-being," according to Gender and Social Protection Minister Dakoa Newman.

To fund the increased grants, the government has released over GHC103 million to pay the country's 324,073 LEAP beneficiary households for the months of January and February 2024.

"This boost in funding is further expected to provide much-needed relief and support to thousands of families across the country, enabling them meet their basic needs more effectively as well as invest in their future well-being," Newman said in the statement.

The new amounts signify the commitment of Ghana's government to its goal of reducing poverty through the LEAP program, which aims to "smooth consumption and promote human capital development among Ghana's extremely poor and vulnerable households."