The beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in the Lower Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region are asking for an increase in the grant they receive to help improve their livelihoods, especially in this era of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of the beneficiaries, who received double payment as part of the government’s efforts to mitigate their plight, while appealing to the President said they want their grant to be increased.

One of the beneficiaries Attah Kaah, 64, said living with her two unemployed daughters, five grandchildren, and her husband who has been blind for almost 10 years now is burdensome and therefore if increased would lessen the burden on her.

According to old woman, the little over GHc100 she receives as LEAP grant though acknowledging the effort of the program said it is not sufficient, and that she is unable to benefit properly from her corn husk business.

One of her daughters, Victoria Akoto, further intimated that although they acknowledge government’s efforts to make life quite comfortable for people like her mother, also pleaded for the LEAP monthly grants to be increased.

For their part, some other older vulnerable residents who believed they are equally qualified for the grant also appealed to government to roll them on.

Ayipa Naa, said even though her particulars and details were taken some years ago, she has not been rolled onto the system.

Responding to the concerns, the Manya Krobo Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Madam Naa Ofosu, while admitting that the grant not enough, she said it could be beneficial to the recipients if properly invested.

She indicated that, her outfit has put in place a monitoring mechanization to ensure benefactors invest their meagre grants wisely.

She however could cannot deny the fact that there are still some recalcitrant benefactors who will not be investing.

In September, 2019, a report by SEND-GHANA revealed that, approximately 30,000 LEAP households with over 125,000 beneficiaries in 10 districts across the country, were not paid their LEAP cash grants during the 60th bimonthly payment cycle in June, 2019.

This development was described as a potential setback to Ghana’s poverty reduction efforts, and quest for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1,2 & 10 which aim at ending poverty, zero hunger and reducing inequalities respectively.

Currently, households with one eligible member receive GHc64.00 per payment cycle, those with two eligible members receive GHc76.00 per payment cycle, three eligible members receive GHc88.00 per payment cycle and households with four or more eligible members –GHc106.00 per payment cycle.