Over $47,563 disbursed to fight poverty

A total of US$47,563,254.19 has been disbursed within the past two years under the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP) to fight poverty.

This went into the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme, Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) and capacity building activities.

The five-year GSOP, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, has been designed to provide safety nets for “ultra poor households” and transform their situation.

The International Development Agency (IDA) is funding the project with US$88.6 million whilst the government is contributing US$0.5 million as counterpart fund.

Mr Robert E. Austin, the National Coordinator said they have targeted to improve incomes for 250,000 households through the LEAP intervention by year 2015.

Addressing a two-day second quarterly review meeting of its contract staff at the Anita Hotel at Akyawkrom, in the Ejisu Municipality, he announced that 68,591 people have been employed under the LIPW with each of them receiving an average earning of GH¢119.61.

“Significantly, 58 per cent of those engaged, are women and the implication of this for women empowerment should not be lost on anybody.”

The LIPW is limited to 49 districts across the country with the selection based strictly on the extent of poverty and deprivation. About 77.5 percent of the beneficiary districts are in the savannah region.

Attending the meeting are 25 participants drawn from Bolgatanga, Wa, Tamale, Kumasi and Accra.

Story by Ghana/GNA