The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, has rubbished claims that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme is inundated with ghost names.

Speaking Friday on Morning Starr on Starr 103.5 FM, Ms. Djaba said without mincing words that she does not know of ghost names on the programme’s payroll.

“The issue of ghost name doesn’t happen because they use the biometric. If you don’t have your finger [captured by the LEAP system] you don’t get your money,” she said.

When asked by the host of the show Francis Abban how will the ministry get the ghost names on the LEAP payroll expunged, Ms Djaba lucidly replied by saying “I don’t know about the ghost names because if you don’t have your fingers on it, if you don’t have your bio details how can you be a ghost.

Can a ghost have a finger print?”

“So people have some misconceptions and prejudices but with the LEAP having gone biometric it takes a way that issue of ghost names automatically because you have to be alive to put your fingers [on the system]” she added.