The Ga West Municipal Assembly has held a stakeholder engagement meeting on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) reassessment at the Assembly Hall, Amasaman, on January 14, 2026.

The meeting formed part of efforts to review and validate the LEAP reassessment exercise, which seeks to identify and determine the poverty status and eligibility of households that qualify to benefit from the LEAP Programme. The reassessment aims to reduce inclusion and exclusion errors that arise due to the dynamic nature of poverty over time, while also improving the efficiency of allocating limited budgetary resources to the most vulnerable households.

During the engagement session, Madam Evelyn Nanbigine, Head of the Social Welfare and Community Development (SWCD) explained the purpose of the LEAP reassessment and emphasized the importance of providing essential facilities and resources to support vulnerable persons within communities. She also outlined the objectives of the programme, stressing the need for accurate and up-to-date data to ensure fairness and transparency in beneficiary selection.

Contributing to the discussion, Yvonne Norman, Principal of the School of Social Work, stated that some individuals who have passed away are still captured in the LEAP database. This revelation underscored the need for a comprehensive reassessment of all households. She further noted that some households were unavailable during the initial reassessment exercise, making it necessary to revisit affected communities to validate the data collected and ensure its accuracy and completeness.

Mr. Banyona W. Homawo, Senior Officer at LEAP secretariat also indicated that the purpose of the engagement was to ensure that the Municipal Assembly offers the necessary support to make LEAP’s work visible and impactful within the Municipality.

The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Isaac Kwakye, highlighted the crucial role the Assembly Members play as key stakeholders in the LEAP Programme. He explained that Assembly Members are instrumental in community sensitization, as residents tend to listen to and trust them. As custodians of their communities, they assist in identifying households, contacting beneficiaries, and supporting the interview process, thereby strengthening data accuracy and the relationship between the programme and community members.

It was also reiterated that funds for LEAP beneficiaries are credited directly onto their e-switch cards, ensuring transparency and ease of access.

The engagement ended with a call for continued collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the success of the LEAP Programme and the effective delivery of social protection services to the most vulnerable in the Ga West Municipality.

SOURCE: GIFTY QATTAH & KEVIN MITCHEL, ISD, GWMA.