Gender Minister calls for collective action to strengthen social protection
Gender Minister urges stronger collaboration among stakeholders to expand social protection programmes and address challenges affecting vulnerable groups across the country.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called for a collective effort from all stakeholders to strengthen social protection systems and improve the welfare of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
According to the Minister, ensuring effective social protection requires strong collaboration among traditional authorities, civil society organisations, community leaders, development partners, government institutions and citizens.
Her remarks were contained in a speech delivered on her behalf by the National Director of Social Protection at the Ministry, Francisca Atuluk, during a Community Dialogue Series on Social Protection held on Thursday, June 18, at Wiaga in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region.
Addressing participants, Dr. Momo Lartey underscored the importaķnce of partnerships in promoting social protection and advancing national development.
“By working together, we can build communities where opportunities are accessible, vulnerabilities are reduced, and every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully to national development,” she stated.
She noted that the Ministry places a high premium on community engagement as a critical component of strengthening Ghana’s social protection system.
According to her, the dialogue was brought directly to the people to create awareness about available social protection programmes while providing a platform for citizens to share their experiences, concerns and recommendations.
“We recognise that effective social protection can only be achieved when citizens are informed, engaged and actively involved in shaping interventions that affect their lives,” she said.
Dr. Momo Lartey further stated that the NDC government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, recognises the importance of social protection and continues to invest in interventions introduced over the years.
She added that the government has also introduced additional initiatives, including Mahama Care, the No-Fees Stress Policy for tertiary students, educational support for persons with disabilities, the Free Sanitary Pads Initiative, free primary healthcare services and the Feed Ghana Programme, among others.
Despite these investments, the Minister acknowledged that several challenges persist, including limited access to information and opportunities, gender-based violence, child labour, human trafficking, illicit drug abuse and inadequate access to essential social services.
She stressed that addressing these challenges requires collective action and sustained commitment from all stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the Head of Communications for the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme, Colson Akanbasiam, used the occasion to educate participants on the programme, its beneficiary selection criteria and the ongoing reassessment exercise.
He explained that the LEAP programme targets extremely poor households, elderly persons aged 65 years and above without support, persons with disabilities whose conditions affect their productivity, and orphaned or vulnerable children.
Akanbasiam disclosed that a nationwide reassessment has been conducted, which will result in some beneficiaries exiting the programme while new eligible households are enrolled.
“Those who are still extremely poor at the time of our assessment will remain on the programme. However, beneficiaries classified as poor or non-poor will exit, while new households identified as extremely poor will be enrolled,” he explained.
He noted that LEAP cash grants are paid every two months, six times annually, to support beneficiary households and help them gradually transition out of extreme poverty.
According to him, households receive GH¢320 for one eligible member, GH¢380 for two eligible members, GH¢440 for three eligible members and GH¢530 for households with four or more eligible beneficiaries.
The dialogue brought together traditional authorities, government officials, representatives of stakeholder institutions and community members to discuss ways of strengthening social protection and improving the lives of vulnerable populations.
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