Stephen Okai was once a driver with a steady income in the bustling town of Amasaman. But his life was upended when he became blind. Now, Stephen struggles to care for his partially blind wife and two young children.
Their existence hangs by a thread, sustained only by the sporadic kindness of neighbors.
“I haven’t received any money from anyone, so I don’t go to the hospital,” Stephen laments. “I eat based on the goodwill of others. Without it, we don’t eat.”
Stephen dreams of being enrolled in the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme—a government initiative designed to provide financial relief to Ghana’s most vulnerable.
But as the days pass, that hope grows more distant, leaving him trapped in a cycle of poverty.
Nearby, 54-year-old Vincentia Koni, a widow, shares Stephen’s plight. Left to care for six children after her husband’s death six years ago, Vincentia works tirelessly to prepare ‘kenkey’ to sell.
On a good day, she earns GHC25, barely enough to feed her children, let alone pay school fees.
“I live in a single room with my six children,” Vincentia explains. “Some of them are in government schools, and others in private ones. It’s hard to take care of all their needs.”
She too wishes she could be placed on the LEAP cash transfer programme.
The LEAP program, introduced in 2008, was meant to provide a safety net for individuals like Stephen and Vincentia.
To qualify for the program, a household must have at least an orphaned and vulnerable child, a person with severe disabilities who lacks productive capacity, and an elderly person over 65 living in extreme poverty. The cash grant aims to meet basic needs, improve well-being, and reduce intergenerational poverty.
According to Colson Achaligabe Akanbasiam, the program’s head of communications, LEAP currently serves over 325,000 households across Ghana. However, it should be supporting more extremely poor Ghanaians.
“LEAP covers a significant number of the extremely poor, but not all,” Achaligabe admits. “About 43.8% of Ghana’s 7.31 million multidimensionally poor are classified as extremely poor. This gap highlights the need for expansion.”
Reassessing LEAP for Greater Impact
To address this gap, the Ghana National Household Registry has launched a nationwide reassessment of the LEAP program. The exercise aims to evaluate the program’s impact on current beneficiaries, determine whether they remain eligible, and identify new households in need.
“Poverty is classified into three tiers: extreme poor, poor, and non-poor,” Achaligabe explains. “Only the extreme poor qualify for LEAP. Those who are no longer eligible but are just above the extreme poverty line will receive skills training and links to other social services. Those who are no longer poor will exit the program.”
The reassessment exercise, conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, the World Bank, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the media, is expected to expand LEAP’s coverage from 325,000 to 450,000 households.
“The goal is to identify who should remain, who should exit, and how we fill the gaps,” Achaligabe adds.
For individuals like Stephen and Vincentia, the reassessment offers a glimmer of hope. By expanding its reach, LEAP could bring relief to more families living in extreme poverty.
Political Promises and LEAP’s Future
With Ghana’s elections approaching, LEAP has become a central feature in the promises of major political parties. Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have outlined reforms to improve the program.
The NPP, emphasizing efficiency, proposes creating elder-specific social assistance schemes to support aging individuals not covered by LEAP. They also pledge to pass an Ageing Act and establish nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
On the other hand, the NDC envisions a transformative initiative called the “Big LEAP”, which aims to increase coverage and integrate economic inclusion. Their proposals include an Emergency LEAP Grant for disaster victims, targeted programs for widows and orphans, and expanded benefits for marginalized groups, particularly in underprivileged Muslim communities.
While both parties promise reforms, the NPP focuses on streamlining existing systems, while the NDC aims to increase LEAP’s scope and benefits.
As Achaligabe emphasizes, “The reassessment must be supported and executed effectively for its impact to be felt nationwide.”
Stephen and Vincentia, like many others, continue to hope for a brighter future. For them, LEAP represents more than financial relief—it’s a lifeline. Whether this lifeline will reach them depends on the success of Ghana’s efforts to expand and improve the program.
By Agnes Bekoe
Journalist and social intervention advocate
