Dr Cassie Ato Forson, Minister of Finance, says government has increased allocation for the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme benefits by 30. 8 per cent.
He said the benefits had been increased from GH¢728.8 million to GH¢953.5 million this year.
Dr Forson made the announcement during his presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament.
The LEAP is a cash transfer programme introduced by the Government in 2008, for extremely poor and vulnerable households to reduce poverty by increasing and smoothening consumption and promoting access to services and opportunities among them.
Eligible members are the orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) or, Persons with severe disability without any productive capacity and elderly persons who are 65 years and above.
Dr Forson said the benefits had been indexed to inflation and the number of beneficiary households would be increased from 350,000 to 400,000 from July 2025.
In addition to LEAP, he said government would continue to implement reforms and increase budgetary allocations to enhance the implementation of the other targeted social protection programmes, namely the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant.
The 2025 budget presented in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution focused on economic recovery and growth, with a projected total revenue and grants of GH¢42.54 billion.
GNA
SOF
11 Mar. 2025
