The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has engaged journalists in a one-day sensitization workshop to equip them with the necessary skills for social protection coverage.
The workshop aims to enlighten journalists in the area of Social Protection activities.
In an opening remarks by the Acting Director for Social Protection, Madam Abena Annobea Asare, stated that the aim of the sensitization workshop was to improve communication and awareness of social protection interventions and to ensure adequate reporting.
The Social Protection, is “a range of actions carried out by the state and other parties in response to vulnerability and poverty, which seeks to guarantee relief for those sections of the population who for any reasons are not able to provide for themselves.” The Ministry oversees several interventions under this framework, aimed at addressing various aspects of poverty and vulnerability in Ghana.
The various interventions carried out by the Social Protection Department under MoGCSP include the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP), Education Capitation Grant (ECG), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW), and Productive Inclusion (PI).
Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP)
– The LEAP Programme is a flagship Social Protection intervention by the Government of Ghana, targeting extremely poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged populations. It provides bi-monthly cash transfers to selected households across all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana.
Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP)
– The GSFP is part of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) and the Government of Ghana’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) one and two, which aim to end poverty and hunger. The program provides one hot, nutritious meal daily to children in public primary schools in deprived communities, using locally grown food. This initiative not only addresses hunger but also stimulates the local economy by spending 80% of the feeding cost locally.
Education Capitation Grant (ECG)
– Introduced in 2005, the ECG was implemented to support the Government of Ghana’s Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) policy by abolishing all levies and fees in public basic schools. The grant compensates for lost revenue and helps schools implement their School Performance Improvement Plans (SPIP) to enhance the quality of education.
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
– Although similarly named, the NHIS focuses on ensuring access to affordable healthcare. The scheme is a significant component of Ghana’s social protection framework, providing health insurance to all Ghanaians, with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations.
Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW)
– The LIPW Programme, hosted by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development (MLGDRD), is part of the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project 2 (GPSNP 2). Launched in 2011, the program aims to provide work opportunities to the productive poor, and is currently implemented in 100 poor municipalities and districts, serving approximately 60,000 individuals from poor households.
Productive Inclusion (PI)
– The PI program, also under GPSNP 2, focuses on enhancing the productive capacities and resilience of poor households, aiming to reduce their reliance on safety nets over time. As of December 2022, the program had supported 20,085 beneficiaries, with an additional 21,000 enrolled in 2023.
The Ministry aims to ensure that social protection initiatives are accurately reported, fostering greater public understanding and support for these vital programs.
By: Ishmael Awudi
