The Ministry of Gender and Social Protection in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ga West Municipal Assembly has held a dialogue with some vulnerable citizens and beneficiaries of their social intervention programs at Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality to improve the relationship of Social Protection Program beneficiaries and stake holders for effective and efficient programme delivery.  The meeting was held on Wednesday, 17^th July,2024 under the theme “Addressing poverty and inequality through right- based social protection in Ghana”.

Mr. Dennis Adu -Yeboah of Ghana School Feeding Programme gave a presentation on the Ghana School Feeding Programme social intervention. He explained that the GSFP was introduced because school children in deprived communities were malnourished, some children could not attend school because they had no food to eat at school and some communities were very deprived with no one to patronize their farm products. With the introduction of the GSFP, caterers were trained on the needed ingredients to use in preparing the food so that these pupils will get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy from eating the food. The GSFP also enabled all pupils who had no one to give them money to purchase food at school to attend school because they are sure they will be served food at school through this social intervention programme. The local economies were also boosted as caterers were made to purchase all food stuff from the local farmers. He ended his presentation by saying that though Amasaman is fast developing, the government of Ghana is still providing the GSFP intervention to them.

The Capitation Grant is money set aside by the government to relive parents and guardians of pupils off their financial pressure. According to Madam Salome Awuah Yeboah of the Municipal Education Office, beneficiaries of the Capitation Grant are from KG to JHS of all public basic schools and some private schools. The government pays GH¢ 32 for each child per year. She said the government sends the money to the Ghana Education Service Office then the schools submit their planning documents to the office for collection.

Mr. Samuel Tetteh, the head of Ga West National Health Insurance Office gave a brief history on the NHIS and informed participants to report any undue charges to the Ga West NHIS Office with a receipt for appropriate sanctions to be taken against the facility and ensure that the facility refunds their money. He further educated them on who the scheme is free for and who is to pay for registration and renewal.  

Miss Evelyn Nanbigne notified members of the community present on how to be enrolled as a beneficiary. She further explained that households with members who are orphans or have extreme disabilities and the aged above the age of 65 years with no family support, or poor pregnant women and poor mothers with infants under 1 year. She also told them that there has been 100% increment in the amount paid to of the LEAP beneficiaries. Initially a household with 1 beneficiary received GH¢128.00 now GH¢256.00, those with 2 beneficiaries received GH¢152 now GH¢ 304.00. Again, households with 3 beneficiaries who used to receive GH¢ 176.00 now receive GH¢ 352.00 and households with 4 or more beneficiaries who received GH¢ 212.00 now receive GH¢ 424.00. All beneficiaries present confirmed the increment and acknowledged receipt of their payments in the previous week.  The amount is paid into beneficiaries e-zwich cards.

She said the selection process for LEAP beneficiaries begins with a Public Information Campaign, followed by data collection, then selection is done at the LEAP office, then the Department of Social welfare will verify whether or not the selected beneficiaries really need help then beneficiaries will select both primary and secondary care givers for their data to be captured for collection of funds.

Present at the community engagement meeting were representatives from the Gender Ministry, representatives from the Local Government and other stakeholders like the Department of Social Welfare, National Health Insurance, Ghana Education Service, and the Information Services Department. Civil Society Organizations were also present. The Community was also represented by Chiefs, religious leaders, beneficiaries of social intervention programs like LEAP, NHIS, Capitation Grant, and applicants who are waiting to be enrolled on the Programmes. Attendance was highly impressive with over 200 participants.

The communication on rights and responsibilities of beneficiaries of Amasaman will increase, Social Intervention Programme beneficiaries will be empowered to demand accountability in the delivery of social protection programmes and knowledge on social protection program at Kuntunse will improve and additional beneficiaries will be registered on the LEAP.

Source: Rachel Sarpong, ISD GWMA